First Closed‑Door Hearing Commences in Seoul The Seoul Central District Court opened the trial on Jan. 12 behind closed doors because state secrets are implicated [1][2]. Former President Yoon Suk Yeol attended with former Defense Minister Kim Yong‑hyun and former Defense Counterintelligence head Yeo In‑hyung. The three defendants face charges of “benefiting the enemy” linked to a 2024 drone operation.

Charges Center on 2024 Drone Dispatch to Pyongyang Prosecutors allege that drones launched in October 2024 crashed near Pyongyang, potentially leaking classified military information [1][2]. The indictment accuses Yoon, Kim and Yeo of aiding North Korea by facilitating that breach. The case expands Yoon’s broader legal exposure, which already includes insurrection and other martial‑law‑related counts [1][2].

Prosecutors Claim Dispatch Intended to Trigger Martial Law Special counsel Cho Eun‑suk’s team argues the drone mission was a deliberate provocation to elicit a North Korean response [1][2]. That retaliation, they say, would serve as a pretext for Yoon’s planned declaration of martial law two months later. The narrative frames the incident as a political maneuver rather than a mere security lapse.

Procedural Disputes Over Bench Recusal Emerge Yoon’s lawyers contend the bench prejudged the facts and have filed a request for the judges’ recusal [1]. Kim Yong‑hyun’s counsel joined the motion, alleging bias in the arrest‑warrant process. The second article does not mention these recusal bids, highlighting a reporting difference between the two pieces.