South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in court to defend himself against allegations of insurrection over his martial law decree and to seek release from detention.

A motorcade carrying South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived on Thursday at the Seoul Central District Court, where the embattled leader is due to attend the first hearing of his criminal trial over insurrection charges.

Ousted South Korean leader Yoon Suk Yeol became the country's first sitting head of state to stand trial in a criminal case as hearings opened Thursday on his bid to impose martial law.

Yoon to attend 1st preliminary hearing of criminal trial A Ministry of Justice vehicle (blue, 2nd from R) carrying arrested President Yoon Suk Yeol drives en route to the Seoul Central District Court in the capital on Feb.

South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol attended the first hearing of his criminal trial on insurrection charges, after his controversial imposition of martial law. The trial could lead to significant political fallout,

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol could try to impose martial law again or undermine constitutional institutions should he be reinstated, lawyers for parliament argued on Tuesday as his impeachment trial entered its final phase.

South Korea’s Constitutional Court will hold another hearing next week before deciding whether President Yoon Suk Yeol should be permanently removed from office for his ill-fated martial law declaration in December.

The Constitutional Court said Tuesday it will hold the 10th hearing of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial this week as planned, despite Yoon's request for a postponement. Yoon had asked for Thursday's hearing to be postponed,

Yoon attends hearing of impeachment trial The Constitutional Court's eight justices -- (from L to R, rear) Chung Kye-sun, Kim Bok-hyeong, Jung Jung-mi, Lee Mi-son, Moon Hyung-bae, Kim Hyung-du, Cheong Hyung-sik and Cho Han-chang -- are seated in their courtroom in Seoul on Feb.