South Korea's ousted leader Yoon Suk Yeol argued that his brief martial law declaration late last year was "not a coup d’etat" as he appeared in court on Monday.

The criminal trial of South Korea's ousted leader Yoon Suk Yeol began on Monday over charges that he led an insurrection when he declared martial law late last year and plunged the country into months of turmoil.

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol moved back on Friday with his wife and their 11 dogs and cats to their apartment in an upscale district of Seoul, close to the prosecutors’ office where the impeached leader worked before entering politics.