Yoon Suk Yeol’s attempt to impose martial law was to thwart a “legislative dictatorship” by the opposition-controlled parliament, the ousted South Korean leader’s lawyer has said.

Mr Yoon faces life imprisonment or the death penalty for charges of insurrection after his arrest last month. 

The 64-year-old former prosecutor is the country’s first sitting president to stand trial in a criminal case.

Criminal proceedings at Seoul’s Central District Court on Thursday morning lasted just over an hour.

Mr Yoon attended the hearing but did not speak.

There was heavy security around the building, with 3,200 police personnel mobilised on site, Yonhap news agency reported.