Seoul, Oct 17 (IANS) Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was absent again from his second trial on martial law-related charges on Friday, officials said.
The hearing at the Seoul Central District Court proceeded without his presence, marking the second time he did not appear for proceedings of the trial after attending its first session last month, which was required by law.
Special counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team earlier indicted Yoon on charges of violating the rights of Cabinet members, revising the martial law proclamation and obstructing his detention by investigators in January.
The bench said Yoon cited health reasons for his latest non-appearance, but determined that he refused to appear without valid reasons.
It said it would proceed with the trial in his absence, given that the detention centre where Yoon is being held said it would be difficult to bring him in by force, Yonhap news agency reported.
Yoon is also on trial on charges of leading an insurrection through his martial law declaration on December 3. He has not attended proceedings for that trial since being placed under arrest for a second time in July, citing health issues.
Earlier, on October 15, Yoon Suk Yeol voluntarily appeared before a special counsel team before investigators executed a warrant to bring him in by force.
The jailed former president was at special counsel Cho Eun-suk’s office to be questioned about allegations related to his failed imposition of martial law, assistant special counsel Park Ji-young said during a press briefing.
Until Wednesday, Yoon had ignored all summonses by special counsel teams investigating various allegations surrounding him and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, following his second arrest in July.
Park said his appearance came after a court issued a warrant for his detention on October 1, and the team ordered its execution at the Seoul Detention Center, where he is held, the next day.
“The Seoul Detention Center was scheduled to execute the detention warrant at around 8 a.m. today in consideration of his trial schedule,” she said. “When the prison officer informed him in advance of the warrant issuance and plans to execute it, former President Yoon stated his intention to appear voluntarily, and the warrant execution did not take place.”
–IANS
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