▲ This composite photo, provided by the Constitutional Court, shows former President Yoon Suk Yeol (L), former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun (C) and Yeo In-hyung, former commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

ex-president-trial

Court holds 1st hearing of ex-President Yoon's trial on charges of benefiting enemy

By Chae Yun-hwan

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court on Monday held the first hearing of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's trial on charges of benefiting the enemy over allegations of dispatching military drones to Pyongyang in 2024.

The hearing took place at the Seoul Central District Court behind closed doors, with Yoon, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and Yeo In-hyung, former head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, in attendance.

Yoon and the two others have been indicted on charges of aiding the enemy in connection to the alleged drone dispatch to North Korea's capital in October 2024.

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team believes the alleged dispatch was aimed at inciting the North's retaliation, which could then be used as a pretext for Yoon's martial law declaration two months later.

The team charged Yoon with "benefiting the enemy in general," based on its judgment that the drone dispatch led to the leak of military secrets to the North when they allegedly crashed near Pyongyang.

The court's bench said it would decide every session whether to proceed with the trial behind closed doors, citing state secrets involved in the case.

The ousted former president is standing trial on multiple charges in connection to his failed martial law bid, including for leading an insurrection.

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