South Korea: Ex-President Yoon absent from 2nd martial law trial for 3rd straight session

Seoul, Oct 21 (IANS) Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol did not attend his second trial on martial law-related charges for the third consecutive session on Tuesday.

The hearing at the Seoul Central District Court proceeded in his absence, after the bench said conditions had not changed since the previous session, which he also skipped after the detention centre where he is being held determined it would be impossible to bring him in by force.

The second trial concerns charges that the former president violated the rights of Cabinet members in the process of declaring martial law in December, revised the martial law proclamation afterwards and obstructed his detention by investigators in January.

Two former officials of the Presidential Security Service are scheduled to take the witness stand during Tuesday's hearing.

Both people are suspected of involvement in blocking Yoon's detention in January.

Since being placed under arrest for a second time in July, the former president has mostly ignored his trials and summonses by special counsels investigating various allegations surrounding him and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, Yonhap news agency reported.

On Monday, he was absent for the 15th consecutive session from his trial on charges of leading an insurrection through the martial law attempt.

The Bench at the Seoul Central District Court had proceeded with the trial in his absence, noting there was no change to his voluntary nonattendance and the Seoul Detention Centre's inability to bring him in by force.

Yoon has not appeared at his trial since he was placed under arrest for a second time in July. He is being tried on charges of leading an insurrection and abusing his power through his failed imposition of martial law in December.

The former President did, however, appear at the first hearing of his second trial on martial law-related charges in September, as well as at a hearing on his request for bail.

Monday's hearing was scheduled to hear testimony from Col. Kim Hyun-tae, former head of the Army Special Warfare Command's 707th Special Mission Group, who has claimed he was ordered to seal off and secure the National Assembly after Yoon declared martial law on December 3.

--IANS

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