Yoon made his first court appearance on Saturday at a hearing on whether to extend his detention. When it was extended, hundreds of pro-Yoon protesters attacked the court building and scuffled with police officers.

The impeached president’s decision to start showing up at the Constitutional Court hearing is more about inflaming his die-hard supporters than helping the judicial process along, experts said.

“Whether it’s the legal representative speaking or Yoon himself speaking it’s nearly the same, it’s more about riling public opinon,” lawyer Kim Nam-ju told AFP.

But whatever Yoon’s motives, “from the perspective of the Constitutional Court judges, hearing directly from the defendant is far more significant,” he said.

“The court can directly question and receive answers from them, allowing the judges to confirm the facts firsthand.”

But even if Yoon starts showing up at the Constitutional Court, the fact that he is refusing to engage with the criminal investigation into his martial law will not work in his favour for his impeachment trial, said Kim.

“Refusing to comply with the warrant execution and declining to testify will gradually be considered as factors unfavourable to his case in the impeachment trial,” said Kim.

“It shows they are not adhering to the legal framework.”

Yoon has claimed the criminal probe is illegal and resisted arrest for weeks, vowing to “fight to the end”.

Although Yoon won the presidential election in 2022, the opposition Democratic Party has a majority in parliament after winning legislative polls last year.

The Democratic Party has celebrated the president’s arrest, with a top official calling it “the first step” to restoring constitutional and legal order.

© 2025 AFP