Former President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee appeared on the morning of the 7th at the Seoul Central District Court for their respective criminal trials. It is the first time the couple, who were indicted and detained on different charges, have come to court at the same time.
Yoon appeared at 10:15 a.m. for a hearing before the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 35 (Presiding Judge Baek Dae-hyun) on charges including obstruction of special official duties. Kim appeared at 10:10 a.m. for a hearing before Criminal Division 27 (Presiding Judge Woo In-seong) on charges including violations of the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act.
Yoon is being held at the Seoul Detention Center, and Kim is being held at the Southern Detention Center. It is the first time the couple has appeared in court at the same time on the same day since their indictment. Kim has continued to appear in court since her first hearing on Sept. 24. By contrast, Yoon failed to appear in court for sedition-related proceedings after being detained in July and has only recently begun appearing.
Although they were in the same courthouse, the two were reportedly unable to see each other. Court officials coordinated arrival times and made other arrangements in advance.
At Yoon's trial, former Presidential Security Service Chief Park Jong-jun will take the stand again as a witness, as in the previous session. At Kim's trial, cross-examination of political broker Myeong Tae-gyun is scheduled to proceed.