Kim Yong-hyun, Minister of National Defense, testified in a criminal trial on December 30th last year, supporting President Yoon Suk-yeol's stance that the Dec. 3 emergency martial law was a "warning martial law" during the hearing by the Criminal Division 25 of the Seoul Central District Court. [Provided by Seoul Central District Court] 

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun have appealed after their motion to recuse judges presiding over a rebellion trial was dismissed. 

According to legal circles on the 26th, President Yoon's legal team submitted an immediate appeal (re-appeal) to the Criminal Division 1 of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judge Yoon Sung-sik), which heard the judge recusal motion. 

On the 20th, Criminal Division 1 dismissed the recusal motion filed by President Yoon's legal team against Criminal Division 12-1 (High Court Judges Lee Seung-cheol, Cho Jin-gu, Kim Min-ah) of the same court, which is a dedicated rebellion trial court. 

Previously, on the 13th, President Yoon's side filed the recusal motion, citing that the court had presided over the case of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in an appellate trial, stating, "The court has a prejudice of guilt by determining the emergency martial law and subsequent actions, which are core issues, as rebellion."

However, the court did not accept President Yoon's side's argument. 

On the same day, Minister Kim and former Director of the Defense Security Command Noh Sang-won's legal teams also submitted immediate appeal (re-appeal) documents to the same court. 

They also appealed the dismissal of the "recusal of recusal motion," which was summarily rejected. 

Earlier, Minister Kim and others had also filed motions to recuse judges from Criminal Division 12-1, which is hearing the rebellion charges related to the Dec. 3 emergency martial law, stating that they could not expect a fair trial. 

When the recusal motion was assigned to Criminal Division 1, another dedicated rebellion trial court, they also filed a "recusal of recusal motion," claiming it was unfair. 

As President Yoon and Minister Kim's sides are appealing the dismissal of their recusal motions, trials against them are expected to be suspended for some time.