[Anchor]
The final hearing before the appellate court's ruling on former President Yoon Seok-yeol, who is indicted on charges of masterminding an insurrection, concluded a short while ago. Let's connect with our reporter at the courthouse.
Reporter Park Yerim, what arguments did former President Yoon make in his closing statement?
[Reporter]
Former President Yoon Seok-yeol's closing statement ended at around 7 p.m. a short while ago.
It began at around 5:40 p.m. and lasted for about an hour and 20 minutes.
Taking the turn as the last of the eight defendants to deliver a closing statement, former President Yoon put on his glasses and read from a 26-page manuscript he had prepared in advance.
Yoon repeatedly argued that the December 3 emergency martial law was a legitimate exercise of presidential authority to correct the opposition party's outrages, and that he never mobilized the military and police to block the National Assembly's vote to lift martial law.
This is a repetition of the arguments that were rejected during the impeachment trial and the first-instance trial for the charge of masterminding an insurrection.
He then requested that he be acquitted and that the court render a judgment in accordance with law and principles.
Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and former Defense Intelligence Command Chief Noh Sang-won, who delivered their closing statements before Yoon, also completely denied the insurrection charges.
[Anchor]
Has the date for the sentencing been set?
[Reporter]
Wrapping up today's (November 5) proceedings, the court announced that it will hold the appellate sentencing hearing at 2:30 p.m. on January 26 next year.
This marks the conclusion of the appellate trial for the eight defendants charged with insurrection, including former President Yoon, after about eight months.
During the hearing on October 29, the special counsel requested the death penalty for former President Yoon, the same as in the first trial, stating that he had committed "the highest level of treason."
The first-instance court sentenced former President Yoon to life imprisonment last February, recognizing him guilty of masterminding an insurrection, and sentenced former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to 30 years in prison.
(Live Broadcast: Kim Seung-tae | Filmed by Yang Hyun-chul | Video Edited by Choi Jin-hwa)
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