Former President Yoon absent for third time in court, prosecutors request warrant
Published: 24 Jul. 2025, 14:12
Updated: 24 Jul. 2025, 17:49
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![Former President Yoon Suk Yeol leaves the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, after completing a pretrial detention hearing on July 9. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/07/24/d08e5071-8fcd-4f72-9936-d07468cb6393.jpg)
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol leaves the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, after completing a pretrial detention hearing on July 9. [YONHAP]
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol did not appear in his third successive court session in the trial over charges of leading an insurrection on Thursday, prompting prosecutors to request a warrant to compel Yoon’s appearance in court.
The special prosecution team, led by Cho Eun-seok, submitted the request during the 12th hearing in the case, held at 10:15 a.m. on Thursday at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul.
Yoon’s legal team submitted a statement saying he could not attend due to health concerns. He had also failed to appear at earlier hearings on July 10 and July 17.
Prosecutors rejected the explanation, noting that a detention review had already dismissed the argument that his health made it impossible for him to remain in custody. They said his absence lacked a legitimate reason.
“On July 23, the defense submitted a statement claiming Yoon’s elevated fasting blood sugar made it difficult to attend a lengthy hearing,” the prosecutors said. “But that reasoning was already deemed insufficient when the court rejected his detention appeal. Yoon had attended all nine hearings held up to July 3 without raising any health concerns and also participated in a 4-hour-and-50-minute detention review session. He missed the hearings on July 10 and July 17 without valid cause and has again failed to appear.
"We previously asked the court to warn against repeated absences, and the judge also urged the defendant to appear in the future. But the defendant has now missed three consecutive hearings, so we request a warrant to compel Yoon’s appearance in court.”
Judge Ji Gui-yeon said the court would launch an inquiry into Yoon’s continued absences under the procedures outlined in the Criminal Procedure Act and court rules.
“We will investigate the repeated failure to appear and examine whether his health genuinely prevents him from attending and whether enforcement is possible," Ji said. "We received a medical statement from Yoon’s lawyers and will confirm the details with the detention center."
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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