The Seoul Central District Court held its first hearing on the case of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who is charged with violating the Personal Information Protection Act and leaking military secrets. During the proceedings, Kim's legal representative raised an objection, arguing that the absence of the special prosecutor and the special prosecutor's deputy constituted grounds for declaring the trial invalid. The court was informed about the claims but quickly stated that the presence of delegated prosecutors is legally acceptable under Article 8 of the Special Prosecutor Act.

The defense attorney further insisted that the absence of the special prosecutor and deputy violated the spirit of the Special Prosecutor Act and asserted that any ruling made under these conditions would be inherently invalid. After a brief discussion lasting only 17 seconds, the presiding judge determined that the defense's arguments did not warrant further consideration and proceeded with the trial, implying the court's lack of patience for procedural disputes.

During the hearing, the judge also admonished the defense for claiming they had insufficient time to examine the indictment documents. The judge pointed out that sufficient time had been granted for review and expected the defense to present its statements at the upcoming court date. This interaction highlights ongoing tensions in the legal proceedings and sets a critical tone for the trial ahead, as the accused faces significant charges that could impact military and governmental integrity.