Shim Woo-jung denies insurrection charges in martial law trial

Former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung and former Supreme Prosecutors' Office Planning and Coordination Director Jeon Mu-gon have denied all charges during their first court appearance regarding involvement in the December 3 martial law incident.

Shim is accused of participating in an insurrection by considering the dispatch of prosecutors to the martial law joint investigation headquarters under the direction of the former Minister of Justice. He is also alleged to have been involved in drafting documents regarding judicial jurisdiction under martial law and abusing his authority by waiving immediate appeals following the court's decision to grant a request to cancel the detention of former President Yoon Suk-yeol.

Jeon is charged with assisting Shim in discussing and documenting judicial jurisdiction during the martial law period. During the preliminary hearing at the Seoul Central District Court, defense attorneys for both defendants stated they denied all counts but reserved detailed arguments until they had fully reviewed the case records. The court has scheduled another preliminary hearing for next month.