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Seoul Court Begins Closed‑Door Hearing of Ex‑President Yoon Over Drone Scandal

Updated (8 articles)

First Closed‑Door Session Held at Seoul Central District Court On Jan. 12, a Seoul court convened the initial hearing behind closed doors, with former President Yoon Suk‑yeol, ex‑Defense Minister Kim Yong‑hyun and former Defense Counterintelligence chief Yeo In‑hyung in attendance [1][2]. The trio faces charges of “aiding the enemy” linked to an alleged October 2024 drone launch that crashed near Pyongyang. Prosecutors allege the operation leaked military secrets and was part of a broader scheme to justify Yoon’s later martial‑law bid.

Prosecutors Claim Drone Launch Intended to Trigger Martial Law Justification Special counsel Cho Eun‑suk’s team argues the drone dispatch was deliberately designed to provoke a North Korean retaliation, creating a pretext for Yoon’s declaration of martial law two months afterward [1][2]. The indictment frames the incident as a political maneuver rather than a mere security lapse, citing potential leakage of classified information. This narrative underpins the charges of benefiting the enemy and leading an insurrection.

Bench Considers Secrecy Rules Session by Session The presiding bench announced it will decide for each proceeding whether to keep the trial closed, citing the involvement of state secrets [1][2]. This flexible approach aims to balance the public’s right to information with national‑security concerns. The court’s stance signals ongoing deliberations over how much detail can be disclosed as the case progresses.

Defense Teams Seek Recusal Over Alleged Bench Bias Yoon’s lawyers filed a motion demanding the bench’s recusal, claiming the judges prejudged facts and relied on unverified documents in the arrest‑warrant review [1]. Kim Yong‑hyun’s counsel joined the request, accusing the bench of unfairness in issuing the warrant against him. Recusal motions must be reviewed by a different panel, and their outcome could affect the trial’s timeline.

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Timeline

Dec 10, 2025 – The Defense Ministry dismisses drone‑command chief Kim Yong‑dae and former prosecution chief Kim Dong‑hyuk amid the special‑counsel probe into former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s alleged martial‑law plan, which centered on drones flown over Pyongyang. Kim Yong‑dae had been indicted without detention for obstructing official duties and soliciting false documents tied to the drone operation. [8]

Dec 22, 2025 – Seoul Central District Court schedules a closed‑door hearing to decide whether to extend Yoon’s pre‑trial detention, which is set to expire on Jan 18, 2026. The request stems from the special‑counsel team’s indictment that links an October 2024 drone dispatch to a December 2024 martial‑law declaration. [7]

Dec 23, 2025 – The court holds the arrest‑extension hearing. Prosecutors argue the drone operation was “intended to provoke North Korea’s retaliation and provide a pretext for the Dec 3, 2024 martial‑law declaration” [6]. Yoon, however, flatly denies the allegation, stating, “There were no reports of any drone operation or strike that could have occurred without my knowledge,” and cites a November phone call with then‑President‑elect Donald Trump as evidence of his strategic patience on North‑Korean provocations. [5][6]

Dec 24, 2025 – The same court extends the custody of former Defense Minister Kim Yong‑hyun and former Defense Counter‑Intelligence Command head Yeo In‑hyung for up to six months, citing the risk of evidence destruction. Both are now charged with “aiding the enemy” and power abuse for allegedly ordering the October 2024 drone deployments that were meant to trigger a North‑Korean response and justify Yoon’s martial‑law bid. [4]

Jan 2, 2026 – The Seoul Central District Court issues a warrant to detain Yoon for an additional six months, pushing his custody beyond the Jan 18 deadline. Prosecutors claim Yoon ordered the drone commander to launch the operation without notifying the Defense Ministry or Joint Chiefs, describing it as a deliberate provocation to create a pretext for the December 2024 martial‑law attempt. This marks Yoon’s third arrest this year, following a January 2025 insurrection charge (later released) and a July 2025 detention on martial‑law‑related offenses. [3]

Jan 12, 2026 – The first hearing of Yoon’s trial on the drone‑dispatch case takes place behind closed doors at Seoul Central District Court. Yoon, Kim Yong‑hyun and Yeo In‑hyung appear together; the bench announces it will decide session‑by‑session whether to keep proceedings sealed due to state‑secret concerns. Special counsel Cho Eun‑suk reiterates that the drone mission was designed “to incite retaliation… that could be used as a pretext for a later martial‑law declaration,” framing the incident as a political maneuver rather than a mere security lapse. [1][2]

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