"I Will Appear for Tomorrow's First Trial Verdict" Says Yoon Suk-yeol's Side... Judge Ji Gui-yeon to Deliver Ruling Before Personnel Shuffle

[Financial News] Yoon Suk-yeol, the former president, will appear for the first-instance verdict on charges of leading an insurrection scheduled for the 19th, his defense team announced on the 18th. This significantly reduces the likelihood that the ruling will be postponed due to his absence.
In a notice to the media that day, Yoon's defense team stated, "All related written submissions have been completed," confirming his plan to attend.
Previously, some observers had speculated that Yoon might again fail to appear for the verdict hearing, noting that he had already been absent 16 times from proceedings in the insurrection ringleader case.
If Yoon does not appear and instead submits a written statement explaining his absence, the presiding judge may accept it and postpone the sentencing date. The court could, in theory, order that Yoon be brought from the detention center by force, but given his status as a former president, that scenario is considered unlikely. Even if the court were to proceed and deliver the verdict in his absence, it would first have to go through a separate procedure to authorize such a decision.
The biggest variable affecting any postponement is the regular judicial personnel reshuffle scheduled for the 23rd. Judge Ji Gui-yeon, who is presiding over the insurrection ringleader trial, is among those subject to reassignment. If the presiding judge changes, the new panel must conduct a "renewal of trial" procedure and review the case record from the beginning, which would inevitably cause a significant delay.
Criminal Division 25 of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Ji Gui-yeon, is scheduled to hold the first-instance verdict hearing on Yoon's insurrection ringleader charges at 3 p.m. on the 19th in Courtroom 417 of the Seoul Central District Court.


theknight@fnnews.com Reporter Jung Kyung-soo Reporter