President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived at the Constitutional Court for the ninth hearing in his impeachment trial on Tuesday, but returned to the Seoul Detention Center shortly before the hearing started. 

Yoon’s lawyers said the president decided to go back to the detention center after confirming that the hearing would mainly involve his lawyers and the legal representatives of the National Assembly summarizing the previous hearings and delivering their opinions. 

Yoon’s defense team said the president’s decision was based on the assessment that there was no need for him to personally speak at Tuesday’s hearing and that entrusting tasks to his lawyers would be helpful for the proceedings. 

Observers say it was unusual for the president to go back to the detention center after arriving at the court, as the court's agenda for the day was announced in advance.