[News Today] YOON’S FIRST TRIAL ATTENDANCE

[LEAD]
In a first for South Korea's constitutional history, President Yoon Suk Yeol attended the third impeachment hearing yesterday. This marks the first time an incumbent president has appeared before the Constitutional Court in such proceedings.

[REPORT]
About an hour before the start of the third hearing in President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial, the Seoul Detention Center gate opens up and cars roll out.

A blue convoy carrying Yoon arrives at the Constitutional Court some 20 minutes later.

Yoon headed to the courthouse from an underground parking lot and sat in the defendant's seat wearing a suit.

After a roll call, Yoon asked for an opportunity to speak up and briefly conveyed his stance.

Yoon Suk Yeol / President
In public office, I have lived with a stern belief in liberal democracy.

He continued to make remarks in a question and answer session with justices.

The National Assembly's prosecution team argued that key witnesses such as former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun won't be able to testify candidly if they are face to face with Yoon and asked the court to allow witness interrogation in Yoon's absence.

Jang Soon-uk / Nat'l Assembly panel rep.
We ask interrogations to take place in Yoon's absence or at least a screen is set up so witnesses won't need to make eye contact with him.

But Yoon said it's difficult for him to exact any influence due to his suspended state and asserted that he knows the case best.

The impeachment hearing which saw the first ever court attendance of an incumbent president in the country's constitutional history ended after around 100 minutes.