At 2 p.m. on the 16th, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Agreement Division 35, presided over by Presiding Judge Baek Dae-hyun, in the first trial sentencing hearing of former President Yoon, who was indicted on charges including "obstructing an arrest," found Yoon guilty of abetting abuse of authority in connection with secure phones.
The court said, "Vice Administrator Kim Sung-hoon, when the investigation into the defendant and the military commanders was in full swing, concerned that if the secure phones were seized by investigators the call records between the defendant and the military commanders would be confirmed, ordered a person surnamed Kim, head of the support headquarters, to delete the call records on the secure phones and to take measures to prevent investigators from opening the secure phones."
It continued, "Such instructions by Vice Administrator Kim Sung-hoon were carried out with the purpose of pursuing the private interests of the defendant, who was under investigation on charges including being the ringleader of an insurrection," and added, "Moreover, even after receiving multiple reports from the head of the support headquarters that such measures could constitute destruction of evidence, he pressed for supplementary measures, which hindered lawful investigative activities by investigators."