Appeals court halts South Korean ex-President Yoon’s insurrection trial after recusal request

Seoul, May 14 (IANS) A Seoul appellate court on Thursday decided to halt former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s appeals trial on charges of leading an insurrection over his failed 2024 martial law bid after his lawyers filed for recusal, asking for the removal of all three judges in the trial.

The Seoul High Court announced the decision in what had been expected to be the first formal hearing of Yoon’s appellate trial after a lower court sentenced him to life imprisonment over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024.

Yoon’s legal team earlier requested the recusal, arguing a fair trial could not be expected as the judges in question had effectively found Yoon guilty during former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s appeals trial on insurrection charges.

The appellate bench sentenced Han to 15 years in prison last week, finding him guilty of playing a key role in an insurrection by aiding and abetting Yoon’s declaration of martial law.

By law, trial proceedings have to be suspended until a decision is made on recusal requests, although exceptions can be made in urgent situations.

“(We) have decided to separate proceedings on former President Yoon Suk Yeol and schedule the hearing date at a later time,” the bench said.

Both Yoon and his lawyers did not appear for the trial hearing, which also handles cases of seven other officials over their suspected roles in the former president’s martial law bid, Yonhap news agency reported.

The jailed former president has been standing a total of eight trials in connection with his short-lived imposition of martial law, as well as corruption allegations involving his wife and the 2023 death of a Marine.

Earlier on May 12, South Korean special counsel team sought a four-year prison term for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of accepting free polling services from the self-described political broker Myung Tae-kyun.

–IANS

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