Overview
- After nearly 15 hours of open-court evidence review on Friday, Judge Ji Gwi-yeon postponed Yoon Suk Yeol’s closing argument and the special counsel’s sentencing request to Jan. 13.
- Prosecutors have weighed seeking the death penalty versus life imprisonment in the insurrection case, with life reportedly holding a slight edge.
- The court on Monday held the first hearing behind closed doors on charges that Yoon benefited the enemy by allegedly dispatching drones toward Pyongyang in 2024, with session-by-session secrecy decisions citing state secrets.
- Legal observers still forecast a first-instance verdict on the insurrection charge in early to mid-February, despite the scheduling shift ahead of the March judicial personnel reshuffle.
- Yoon faces a packed week that includes a first-instance verdict Friday on obstruction of special official duties, where prosecutors earlier sought a 10-year prison term.