South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol has filed for bail, citing health concerns and the need to prepare his defence, according to legal sources.

Yoon, who has been in custody since July, faces charges of obstruction of duties, abuse of authority, and leading an insurrection tied to his short-lived martial law declaration in December. The bail request was submitted Friday to the Seoul Central District Court, though no date has been set for the hearing, Yonhap News Agency reported.

On September 20, a special counsel team summoned Yoon to appear next week at the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office. Investigators plan to question him for the first time over allegations he incited foreign aggression by ordering a drone dispatch to Pyongyang in October — allegedly to provoke a North Korean military response as a pretext for martial law.

Senior military officials, including former JCS Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo and drone command chief Maj. Gen. Kim Yong-dae, have already denied any link between the drone operations and Yoon’s martial law attempt. Yoon has so far refused to cooperate with the trial or special counsel probe.

The counsel team also intends to question former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, currently in custody on related insurrection charges.