Ex-President Yoon absent from his insurrection trial for 6th consecutive time

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was absent from his insurrection trial for the sixth consecutive time Thursday, leading the court to proceed without him. Yoon has refused to appear for his trial at the Seoul Central District Court since his second arrest on July 10, citing health issues. The bench opened Thursday's hearing by noting the defendant was absent again and that the detention center where Yoon is jailed had sent a note explaining the difficulty of bringing him by force. Under the Criminal Procedure Code, a trial can proceed in the absence of the defendant in the event he refuses to attend without legitimate grounds and it is deemed impossible or significantly difficult for a prison officer to bring him in by force. The former president has been standing trial on charges of leading an insurrection and abusing his power through his short-lived imposition of martial law in December. Insurrection carries a maximum sentence of life in prison or death. During Thursday's hearing, the court is scheduled to hear witness testimony from two military officials involved in the martial law planWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times