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Yoon argues for release over health issues in detention legality hearing

Published: 18 Jul. 2025, 17:19 Updated: 18 Jul. 2025, 18:48

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol leaves the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul after the pretrial detention hearing on July 9. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

A Seoul court on Friday concluded a nearly five-hour hearing to determine the legality of former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s pretrial detention, during which Yoon personally pleaded for release, citing deteriorating health.

The Seoul Central District Court began the detention warrant review at 10:15 a.m. and wrapped it up at around 4:11 p.m., including a one-hour lunch break.

Special Counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team, which is investigating Yoon on insurrection-related charges, requested a detention warrant for Yoon on July 6, citing concerns over evidence destruction. The warrant was granted on July 10 by the Seoul Central District Court.

Yoon then filed a habeas corpus petition on Wednesday. He appeared in court on Friday after being transported from the Seoul Detention Center. He reportedly argued for his release on health grounds during the hearing, and the defense submitted blood test results to the court, citing a deterioration in Yoon’s liver function.

As in the July 9 pretrial detention hearing, lawyers and prosecutors clashed over the legitimacy of Yoon's re-arrest. Defense attorneys Yoo Jeong-hwa, Song Jin-ho and Choi Ji-woo presented a 140-slide PowerPoint argument, claiming the new charges were effectively identical to the earlier indictment for masterminding an insurrection, thus violating the legal limits on redetention. They also argued that the prosecution had failed to substantiate the need for continued detention.

Assistant special counsel Park Eok-su, senior prosecutor Cho Jae-cheol and three other prosecutors countered with a similarly sized presentation and a written opinion, insisting that concerns over evidence destruction justified keeping Yoon in custody.

"We submitted a statement arguing that the detention is lawful and must continue,” Park Ji-young, another member of the special counsel team, told reporters.

The afternoon session focused on Yoon’s health. His legal team has repeatedly claimed that his condition has worsened in detention to the point where he cannot participate in questioning. Yoon had refused to appear at his 11th trial hearing on Thursday. Lawyers said he was taking less diabetes medication and unable to follow a prescribed diet.

Yoon himself spoke for about 30 minutes to describe his condition on Friday.

“He explained his mobility issues and other difficulties,” attorney Yoo told reporters afterward. “He struggled to get through it, but he did his best to speak until the end.”

The special counsel disputed the claims, saying there was no medical basis for release.

“The detention center provided documentation indicating there were no observed mobility issues,” said assistant special counsel Park Ji-young. “We gathered and submitted all relevant medical records available.”

Yoon exited the courthouse via the private route by which he had entered and was taken back to Seoul Detention Center in a Justice Ministry vehicle.

The court’s decision could come as early as Friday night. If the petition is granted, Yoon will be released. If denied, his detention will be extended by the number of days the court reviewed the petition — typically three days — setting his new release date at midnight on July 21.

However, prosecutors are calculating the extension based on hours, not days, citing a March ruling by the Seoul Central District Court, which recognized hourly extensions in such cases. Based on this method, Yoon’s detention could be extended by about two days, from the afternoon of Wednesday to Friday evening. His original detention period, which began on July 9 when the warrant review hearing was held, was supposed to expire at the end of Friday.

“We are taking a conservative approach in calculating the extension,” said Park Ji-young.

Updated, July 18, 2025: Added details about arguments from both sides, post-hearing statements from special counsel.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM SEONG-JIN, SUK GYEONG-MIN [[email protected]]