Seoul: Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attended the first preliminary hearing of his criminal trial on charges of leading an insurrection, becoming the nation's first sitting president to face a criminal trial.

According to Qatar News Agency, Yoon was indicted last month on the charge of insurrection related to his failed attempt at declaring martial law. This charge overrides his presidential immunity from prosecution. The preliminary hearing is designed to clarify the main disputes of the case and plan for future proceedings, and traditionally, the defendant's presence is not mandatory.

Despite this, Yoon chose to be present at Thursday's session. During the hearing, Yoon's legal team stated they would present their stance on the charges at a later date, mentioning that they have not yet reviewed all case records.

The Constitutional Court of South Korea conducted its first hearing on December 27 to examine Yoon's impeachment trial, which stemmed from the Martial Law Crisis. This was before Yoon faced charges of leading a rebellion.

Yoon had declared martial law in the country on December 3, alleging that the opposition was involved in anti-state activities. However, he revoked the martial law six hours later after the National Assembly voted against it.