Ex-President Yoon appears for insurrection trial

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a court hearing on martial law-related charges at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, Sept. 26. Yonhap

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol attended his insurrection trial Monday, his second appearance since last week after being absent from the proceedings for four months.

The ousted president is being tried on charges of leading an insurrection and abusing his power through his failed imposition of martial law in December last year.

Yoon had not appeared at his trial since he was placed under arrest for a second time in July, citing health reasons, but started attending the trial last Thursday.

Kwak Jong-keun, the former chief of the Army Special Warfare Command, will testify at Monday's hearing. Kwak has claimed that he received orders from Yoon to drag out lawmakers from the National Assembly during the short-lived martial law imposition.

Yoon has argued that deploying the military to the parliament building was necessary to maintain public order without suppressing the civilians.

Yoon has reportedly decided to attend the trial to better exercise his right to defense as key witnesses are testifying in court.

He attended the first hearing of another trial on martial law-related charges in September, as well as a separate hearing on his request for bail.

Yoon is also believed to have considered that a prolonged absence from the proceedings could negatively affect the trial's outcome.

The court had earlier warned that the defendant would have to bear responsibility for being absent from the proceedings.

Yoon's lawyers, however, said he still plans to attend the hearings selectively.