Former President Yoon Suk-yeol said at a bail hearing on the 26th, "It was hard just to survive in a 1.8-pyeong room," adding, "I applied for bail so I could come to court."
The Criminal Agreement Division 35 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Baek Dae-hyun, chief judge) concluded the first trial date for former President Yoon, who is charged with obstructing special official duties, after about two hours from 10:15 a.m. that day, and from 12:23 p.m. continued with a bail hearing to decide whether to release Yoon.
Yoon explained his reasons for requesting bail directly for about 18 minutes at the hearing. When the court asked, "Since being detained in this case, what is the reason you have not appeared for the other (insurrection) case you are on trial for?", Yoon answered, "After being detained, it was hard just to survive in a 1.8-pyeong room," and added, "My voice is usually very loud, but it is quiet now."
Yoon also said, "One reason I meet my lawyers at the detention center is that going back and forth counts as exercise," adding, "It is physically hard for a person to sit in court all day." He went on, "At the detention center, they say it is on the Minister's orders and do not let us leave the cell, and unless this is for violent offenders, there is some unconstitutionality."
Yoon continued, "Since April, while not in custody, I have never missed an (insurrection) hearing," adding, "While not in custody, I faithfully complied with court proceedings and special counsel summonses." He said, "I hear the prosecution has 130 witnesses, but even when we propose taking key witnesses first, the special counsel does not do that," and added, "The special counsel is dragging time with witnesses who are neither directly related to me nor important."
Yoon also said, "I hear the special counsel for my wife (Kim Keon-hee) plans to indict me, and if that happens, I will have trials four to five times a week," adding, "If the special counsel summons me on weekends, I have to go, but while in custody it is impossible to comply." He continued, "I am not in an immediately life-threatening condition where I cannot breathe right now, but the procedures are complicated, and just coming out here is no ordinary task."
Yoon added, "It is also difficult to meet with my lawyers," and said, "It is not for anything else; I believe I should appear in court, but in this state it is physically and otherwise difficult, so I requested bail." He continued, "If you grant bail, I will exercise a little in the morning and at night, follow a diabetes diet, and cooperate with the judicial process," adding, "I have never failed to cooperate while not in custody."
Yoon also said, "Looking at the indicted cases, I do not know whether they are indictable against a former president. A president has broad discretion," adding, "It is really nothing short of childish."
At the end of the hearing, the court asked Yoon, "If your bail request is granted and you are released, will you diligently appear in court, and if not, are you saying you will refuse to be brought to court?" Yoon replied, "Rather than refusal, it is that it is very difficult physically to appear (in court) smoothly," adding, "The reason for requesting bail is to appear in the judicial process one way or another, but realistically, appearing several times a week would not be easy."
The hearing ended in about 1 hour and 30 minutes. The court said, "We will decide later whether to grant bail."