Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who is facing additional charges as he stands trial for insurrection in connection with last year’s short-lived martial law decree, failed to appear in court for a detention warrant hearing on Monday.

The Seoul Central District Court’s 34th Criminal Division started the hearing at 2:30 p.m.

Despite the former defense minister’s absence, the court began by reviewing his request for the recusal of court judges.
 
Kim has been detained since December last year for his alleged role in the martial law incident, but his six-month detention period is set to expire Thursday.

The special counsel investigating former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law move indicted Kim last week on new charges — destroying evidence and obstructing the performance of official duties — and asked the court to issue another warrant to keep him behind bars.

Kim’s lawyers filed for a suspension of execution, arguing that under the Special Prosecutor Act, an indictment cannot be filed during the preparation period for an investigation, but the court rejected it.

In response, Kim filed the recusal request ahead of his detention warrant hearing.