Yoon appears in 2 different SKorean courts

South Korea, Feb. 21: Traveling around Seoul in a prison transport vehicle, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in two different courts on Thursday, contesting his arrest on rebellion charges in one and fighting an effort to remove him from office in the other.

Both cases — one on criminal charges, one an impeachment — are related to his brief imposition of martial law in December.

Security was heightened at the Seoul Central District Court as the motorcade transporting Yoon arrived for a preliminary hearing that involved discussions of witnesses, proposed evidence and other preparations for his criminal trial.

The court, which scheduled another preliminary hearing in March, was also reviewing a request by Yoon's lawyers to cancel his arrest and release him from custody. Such challenges are rarely successful. The court was expected to make a decision later Thursday.

Yoon next traveled across the capital to the Constitutional Court, which is nearing a decision on whether to formally remove him from office after was impeached by the National Assembly. Yoon temporarily left the courtroom when Prime Minister Han Duck-soo appeared as a witness. Yoon's lawyer explained to the justices that his client believed it would damage the country's image if both were seen in court together.

Han supported Yoon's claim that the liberal opposition, with its legislative majority, had disrupted state affairs through pushing for impeachments of senior officials and undermining the government budget. However, Han repeated his previous statements to lawmakers and investigators that Yoon had violated constitutional requirements by failing to deliberate in a formal Cabinet meeting before declaring martial law on Dec. 3. Han said he didn't know of any Cabinet member who expressed support of Yoon's step.(AP)