The charges of abuse of power against former President Yoon Seok-youl have been merged with the ongoing rebellion leader charges.
According to legal circles on the 2nd, the Seoul Central District Court assigned former President Yoon's abuse of power case to the Criminal Division 25 (Director General Ji Gwi-yeon). This court is responsible for not only the rebellion leader charges against former President Yoon but also for significant rebellion-related cases involving former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, Korean National Police Agency Chief Jo Ji-ho, and former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Chief Kim Bong-sik.
The prosecution filed charges against former President Yoon for abuse of power the previous day and requested to combine the case with the rebellion trial. This is based on the fact that the factual circumstances of the abuse of power charges and the rebellion leader charges are the same. The court received the case on that day and decided to merge it.
The prosecution charged then-incumbent President Yoon only with the rebellion leader charge last January. This is due to a constitutional provision stating that a president cannot be prosecuted criminally unless charged with rebellion or treason during their term. After his removal was confirmed by the Constitutional Court's impeachment ruling on the 4th of last month, the prosecution conducted supplementary investigations and added the abuse of power charges.