President Yoon Suk Yeol’s criminal trial on charges of leading an insurrection on December 3, when he put the nation under martial law, officially began Monday.

During the morning hearing, which started at 10 a.m., the court verified Yoon’s identification and listened to the prosecution’s summary of the indictment, as well as a statement from Yoon’s side. 

The prosecution argued that Yoon intended to orchestrate an insurrection for the purpose of subverting the nation’s Constitution when he declared martial law.
 
Yoon rebutted the indictment, claiming it does not conform with legal principles.

The former president said testimony from those whom investigative authorities led to cast his martial law move as an insurrection was included in the indictment without proper verification.