The second preparatory hearing for President Yoon Suk-yeol's coup leader charges took place on the 21st. The court decided to begin the formal trial starting from the 14th of next month. The prosecution selected Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok and Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Tae-yeol as the first witnesses for the formal trial.
The 25th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Director General Ji Kwi-yeon, held the second preparatory hearing for the coup leader charges against President Yoon starting at 10 a.m. on that day. President Yoon attended the first preparatory hearing but did not appear in court on this day. Preparatory hearings are procedures to organize witnesses, evidence, and issues before the formal trial, and there is no obligation for the defendant to appear in court.
The preliminary hearing lasted about 44 minutes. President Yoon's side argued that since the CIO does not have investigative powers regarding this case, the investigation process itself is illegal and the evidence collection was also conducted unlawfully.
In response, the prosecution stated, "There are no provisions in the CIO Act, Criminal Procedure Act, or Prosecutors' Office Act that restrict the investigative powers of prosecutors," adding, "The claim that the prosecution lacks investigative powers for CIO cases is not valid." They further noted, "The coup case was consolidated by the prosecution from cases referred by the CIO and those sent by the police, and there is no problem with the prosecution collecting evidence based on the cases sent by the police."
Yoon's legal representative, Lawyer Yoon Gap-geun, requested, "Please clarify the creation and collection process of the evidence according to the list put forth by the prosecution." This aims to specifically prove the efficacy of the prosecution's evidence. In response, the prosecution stated, "It has been a month since we started reviewing the evidence list, and now asking for the origin and collection process of all evidence is an excessive request."
In this regard, the court said, "First, please write the lawyer's request in an opinion and deliver it, and the prosecution should do what it can accordingly." However, they added, "It cannot be the case that something is done here that is not done in other cases."
The court decided to conclude this preparatory hearing and proceed with the formal trial starting from the 14th of next month. The prosecution selected Deputy Prime Minister Choi and Minister Park as the first witnesses, but their attendance has not yet been confirmed. The court stated, "If they cannot attend, let us quickly change to someone else, or postpone the trial date to April 21."