South Korea’s constitutional court has commenced trial proceedings for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was previously suspended for declaring martial law and plunging his country into political crises.
Last Saturday, MPs voted to impeach Yoon after his martial law announcement sparked widespread protests calling for him to step down.
As it stands, the court just has six months to decide whether to remove Yoon or reinstate him.
In the former two instances a South Korean president faced impeachment, the court overruled one decision and upheld the other.
For Yoon’s case however, there have been questions on whether the trial could proceed in his case, as the court presently only has six justices out of nine. The three who retired recently are still to be replaced.
On Monday however, the court said
it may run Yoon’s trial with just six judges, and consequently, set a preliminary hearing date for 27 December.
If the impeachment is upheld in Yoon’s case, the country will have to hold fresh presidential elections within 60 days of that decision.
In the meantime, however, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is serving as acting president.
At the time of making this report, it is unclear if Yoon will take the stand himself during the court hearings. He had however, ignored a summons to meet prosecutors in Seoul on Sunday. He will be ordered in again for questioning and if he fails to come forward this week, police may arrest him.
Yoon has so far, been un-remorseful and has kept defending his decision to impose martial law, even after his impeachment where he reitered that he would fight until the end.
Meanwhile, the PPP leader Han Dong-hoon announced his resignation minutes after the constitutional court convened on Monday morning.
Han’s decision to step down had come after he faced growing calls to resign particularly from the large pro-Yoon faction of his party, after the president was impeached.
