It marked the first time in the country's modern history that an impeached president appeared in the court hearing in person.
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the constitutional court's hearing of his impeachment trial on Tuesday, denying all charges relevant to his martial law imposition.
Yoon entered the courtroom at around 2:00 p.m. local time (0500 GMT) before leaving some 100 minutes later.
It marked the first time in the country's modern history that an impeached president appeared in the court hearing in person.
Asked during the third formal hearing about whether he ordered military commanders to drag out of the National Assembly chamber the lawmakers who gathered to lift his martial law imposition, Yoon briefly said "No."
Yoon, who was named by investigative agencies as a suspected ringleader on an insurrection charge, declared martial law on the night of Dec. 3 last year, but it was revoked by the National Assembly hours later.
The country's liberal opposition bloc, including the Democratic Party, won a landslide victory with more than three-fifths of 300 National Assembly seats in last April's parliamentary elections.
After the end of the hearing, Yoon moved to an Armed Forces hospital near the constitutional court, which is dedicated to treating former and incumbent presidents and their families as well as soldiers in the capital region, according to multiple media outlets.
Yoon was expected to come back to the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, some 30 km south of the court later.
Next hearings were scheduled to be held on Thursday this month and on Feb. 4, Feb. 6, Feb. 11 and Feb. 13.
A warrant to extend the detention of the arrested Yoon for up to 20 days was granted by a Seoul court early Sunday.
Yoon appeared in the four-hour warrant hearing on Saturday to explain the legitimacy of his martial law declaration and restore his reputation.
The impeachment motion against Yoon was passed in the National Assembly on Dec. 14 last year and was delivered to the constitutional court to deliberate it for up to 180 days, during which Yoon's presidential power is suspended.
To oust Yoon from office, at least six justices of the court are required to uphold the impeachment.
If the impeachment is upheld by the court, a snap presidential election will be held within 60 days.■