Seoul: A Seoul court on Tuesday combined the insurrection trials of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, and former police chief Cho Ji-ho over their involvement in last year's failed martial law bid into a single trial. The announcement was made during Yoon's trial hearing on charges of leading an insurrection at the Seoul Central District Court, which had been conducted separately from the trials of former military and defense officials, including Kim, and of Cho and other police leadership.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the court bench had earlier indicated the decision to merge the three trials, as they deal with identical facts and share the same points of contention over charges of insurrection. This consolidation aims to streamline the judicial process given the overlapping nature of the cases against the former officials.

Six of the eight defendants from the three trials were present in the courtroom, including Yoon, the former defense chief, and Kim Bong-sik, who previously served as the head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. The court plans to conduct witness examination on the former defense minister during Tuesday's trial and proceed with evidence examination the following week.