Former President Yoon's Rebellion Charges: First Preparatory Hearing for Second Trial on May 27

The first preparatory hearing for the second trial of former President Yoon Suk-yeol's rebellion charges will be held at the Seoul High Court on May 27. The special division for rebellion cases, Criminal Division 12-1, will conduct the first preparatory hearing at 2 p.m. on this day, 67 days after the first-instance sentencing. A preparatory hearing is a procedure held before the main trial to confirm the positions of the defendant and the prosecution and to discuss the evidence plan; the defendant is not obligated to attend.

The sentencing for the second trial of former President Yoon's charges of obstructing the execution of a warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) is on May 29. The Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 1 will proceed with the second-instance sentencing for charges including obstruction of official duties by abuse of power and abuse of authority this afternoon at 3 p.m. Former President Yoon was indicted in January of last year on charges of attempting to prevent the CIO's attempt to arrest him, accused of violating the deliberation rights of other State Council members by convening only a few of them during the declaration of martial law on December 3, and creating and destroying a false proclamation after the lifting of martial law. The first-instance court sentenced him to five years in prison for these charges, and the special prosecutor team requested a 10-year prison sentence, the same as their initial sentencing request.

The sentencing for the appeal trial of First Lady Kim Keon-hee is on May 28. The Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 15-2 will proceed with the second-instance sentencing for Ms. Kim's charges, including bribery under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes and violation of the Capital Markets Act, this afternoon at 3 p.m. Ms. Kim was indicted on charges of participating in Deutsch Motors stock manipulation and obtaining illicit profits worth approximately 810 million won, conspiring with former President Yoon to receive public opinion poll results worth approximately 270 million won from a political broker, and receiving goods worth a total of 80 million won, including one Graff necklace and two Chanel bags, from the Unification Church in relation to 'Geonjin Law Firm' under duress. In the first trial, she was found not guilty of charges related to Deutsch Motors stock manipulation and receiving public opinion poll results, but was found partially guilty of receiving one bag and a necklace from the Unification Church, receiving a sentence of one year and eight months in prison. The special prosecutor team for Kim Keon-hee requested 15 years in prison, the same as the first-instance sentence, during the final hearing.

The sentencing for the appeal trials of former President Yoon and Ms. Kim were scheduled to be broadcast live on KBS 1TV.