South Korea's ex-President Yoon to attend court hearing on Friday over martial law

Seoul, Sep 23 (IANS) South Korea's former ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol will attend a court hearing later this week for a new case over his involvement in his failed martial law bid, Yoon's legal team said Tuesday.

In addition to an ongoing insurrection trial, a special counsel team investigating the case has additionally indicted Yoon for allegedly abusing his authority and obstructing the exercise of rights, Yonhap News Agency reported.

"(Yoon) will attend the court hearing for the new case on Friday," his legal team said in a statement, citing legal procedures that mandate his attendance for the first court hearing.

Yoon, who has remained in custody since July, has not shown up for court hearings for the 10th consecutive time in a trial on his charges of leading an insurrection, citing health reasons.

Alongside the first court hearing for the new case on Friday, the Seoul Central District Court is also set to hold a hearing for his bail on the same day.

Yoon filed for bail last week, citing his right to defend himself and issues with his health.

The former president has been standing trial on charges of leading an insurrection through his martial law attempt, and a second trial on separate charges of violating the rights of Cabinet members and creating a revised proclamation after the martial law declaration is set to begin Friday.

On September 20, a special counsel team had notified Yoon to appear for questioning next week over allegations linked to his failed martial law bid.

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team said it had issued the summons to Yoon to appear for questioning at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office on Wednesday.

It would be the first time investigators attempt to question him over the allegation of inciting foreign aggression.

The team suspects Yoon of giving direct orders to the Drone Operations Command to dispatch drones to Pyongyang in an attempt to provoke North Korean military responses and allegedly create a pretext for the imposition of martial law.

Former drone command chief Major General Kim Yong-dae, Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) former Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo and JCS operations chief, Lt. Gen. Lee Seung-oh, had already been questioned over the allegations.

The commanders had denied any link between the drone dispatch and Yoon's martial law, arguing the operations were part of response measures to the North's balloon campaigns against the South.

--IANS

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