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South Korea: Ex-Defence Minister indicted on insurrection charges in martial law probe
South Korea's prosecutors on Friday indicted former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun under detention on charges of insurrection over his alleged role in the short-lived imposition of martial law this month.
Seoul : South Korea's prosecutors on Friday indicted former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun under detention on charges of insurrection over his alleged role in the short-lived imposition of martial law this month.
The prosecution's special investigation team indicted Kim on charges of abuse of power and playing an "integral" role in an insurrection, marking the first indictment in the case on President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched declaration of martial law on December 3.
Prosecutors believe Kim recommended Yoon declare martial law, and led the deployment of troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission's offices during martial law, Yonhap news agency reported.
Earlier in the day, South Korea's Constitutional Court said it would swiftly proceed with President Yoon's impeachment trial as it wrapped up the case's first hearing, with the next hearing on the trial set for January 3.
The court made the announcement during the preparatory hearing for the trial on the validity of Yoon's impeachment by the National Assembly this month over his failed imposition of martial law on December 3, Yonhap news agency reported.
"The case on the President's impeachment is more important than any other case," Justice Cheong Hyung-sik, one of the judges for the preparatory proceedings, said, noting the court first deals with cases that are "most urgent."
"The date was decided by considering the seriousness and gravity of the impeachment trial's impact on state affairs and the public," Justice Lee Mi-son, another Constitutional Court judge, said, referring to the date of the next hearing.
The hearing brought together the legal representatives of both Yoon and the National Assembly for the first time to lay out their cases, present their list of witnesses and evidence, and coordinate the dates of future proceedings.
Yoon, who was not required to attend the hearing, did not appear as expected.
During the hearing, Yoon's lawyers said they would dispute the legality of the request for the impeachment trial, apparently referring to possible procedural issues regarding Yoon's impeachment motion at the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, they acknowledged Yoon's declaration of martial law and the announcement of its decree as fact but said they would later clarify details surrounding the background of the declaration.
Until Friday morning, Yoon had refused to accept documents related to his trial and failed to appoint a legal defence team to handle the case.
With only hours to go, however, his representatives announced the appointment of a team comprised of lawyers Bae Bo-yoon, Yun Gap-geun and Bae Jin-han. Bae Bo-yoon was a Constitutional Court spokesperson during the impeachment trial of former President Geun-hye.
