South Korea’s Yoon in court for hearing in criminal trial

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol faces criminal charges of rebellion and martial law imposition in court.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in court Thursday (February 20, 2025) for a hearing where his lawyers contested his arrest on a criminal charge alleging he was orchestrating a rebellion when he briefly imposed martial law in December.

Security was heightened as the motorcade transporting Mr. Yoon arrived at the Seoul Central District Court and dozens of his supporters rallied nearby.

Mr. Yoon becomes the country’s first sitting head of state to stand trial in a criminal case.

The preliminary hearing will involve discussions of witnesses and other preparations for his criminal trial, and the court was also to review the request by Mr. Yoon’s lawyers to cancel his arrest and release him from custody. Such challenges are rarely successful.

Mr. Yoon was indicted on January 26 on the rebellion charge carrying a potential punishment of death or life in prison. In South Korea, presidents have immunity from most criminal prosecutions, but not on charges of rebellion or treason.

The indictment alleges his imposition of martial law was an illegal attempt to shut down the National Assembly and arrest politicians and election authorities. The conservative Mr. Yoon has said his martial law declaration was intended as a temporary warning to the liberal opposition and that he had always planned to respect lawmakers’ will if they voted to lift the measure.

Mr. Yoon's presidential powers were suspended when he was impeached Dec. 14, and South Korea's Constitutional Court is nearing a decision on whether to formally remove him from office or dismiss the Assembly’s impeachment and reinstate him.