Yoon's legal representatives said that he had intended to attend but changed his mind at the last minute, as the day's hearing would primarily focus on arguments from previous sessions, with no witnesses present.
Except for the first two hearings, which began in mid-January, Yoon has appeared at six consecutive sessions, actively defending himself.
Meanwhile, Yoon's 10th hearing, expected to be his last, will be held on Thursday as scheduled. Earlier, Yoon requested a postponement, as his separate criminal trial on charges of insurrection and abuse of power is scheduled to take place on the same day. But the court rejected the request to reschedule.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who has been suspended from his post will appear as a witness in the upcoming hearing, along the Cho Ji-ho, the head of the National Police Agency.
Attention is on Cho, who has cited health reasons for refusing to appear twice. It remains to be seen if he will attend this time.
Cho is one of the key witnesses in the allegations that Yoon ordered officials to arrest several political figures during the Dec. 3 martial law declaration.
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