South Korea: Ex-President Yoon's Bail Hearing Set For Friday

(MENAFN- IANS) Seoul, Sep 23 (IANS) A Seoul court will hold a hearing on former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's request for bail later this week, legal sources said on Tuesday.

The hearing will be held at the Seoul Central District Court at 10:30 a.m. Friday after Yoon filed for bail last week, citing his right to defend himself and issues with his health.

Yoon has been in custody since July when special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team placed him under arrest a second time on charges related to his failed imposition of martial law in December.

The former president has been standing trial on charges of leading an insurrection through his martial law attempt, and a second trial on separate charges of violating the rights of Cabinet members and creating a revised proclamation after the martial law declaration is set to begin Friday.

The bail hearing is expected to take place immediately after the first hearing of the second trial, Yonhap news agency reported.

Earlier on September 21, Yoon Suk Yeol had requested to be released on bail, citing the need to prepare his defence and health concerns, according to legal sources.

On September 20, a special counsel team had notified Yoon to appear for questioning next week over allegations linked to his failed martial law bid.

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team said it had issued the summons to Yoon to appear for questioning at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office on Wednesday.

It would be the first time investigators attempt to question him over the allegation of inciting foreign aggression.

The team suspects Yoon of giving direct orders to the Drone Operations Command to dispatch drones to Pyongyang in an attempt to provoke North Korean military responses and allegedly create a pretext for the imposition of martial law.

Former drone command chief Major General Kim Yong-dae, Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) former Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo and JCS operations chief, Lt. Gen. Lee Seung-oh, had already been questioned over the allegations.

The commanders had denied any link between the drone dispatch and Yoon's martial law, arguing the operations were part of response measures to the North's balloon campaigns against the South.

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