South Korea: first hearing shortened in Yoon’s impeachment trial

The Constitutional Court on Tuesday launched, with a hearing limited to a few minutes, the examination of the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, a procedure which will either permanently remove him for his failed attempt to impose martial law or return him to power.

More than a month after this coup which recalled the dark hours of the military dictatorship, a crucial process is beginning. The court has until mid-June to confirm or deny — which would amount to reinstating the leader in his functions — the motion adopted on December 14 by the National Assembly, which had suspended Mr. Yoon.

The first hearing started at 2 p.m. (local time), lasting only a few minutes, as Yoon Suk-yeol did not appear, told theAFP a spokesperson for the court.

The former prosecutor’s lawyers had announced his intention to come and explain himself, but not on Tuesday, citing concerns about safety and potential incidents.

Four other sessions are planned at this stage: January 16, 21 and 23, as well as February 4.

Barricaded for weeks in his residence and threatened with arrest, Yoon Suk-yeol, 64, risks his title for having unsuccessfully tried to impose martial law on December 3, a shock measure that he had justified by his will to protect the country from North Korean communist forces andeliminate elements hostile to the state.

In a parliament surrounded by soldiers, a sufficient number of deputies quickly thwarted his plans by voting for a text demanding the lifting of this state of exception. Under pressure from elected officials and thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators, and constrained by the Constitution, Mr. Yoon had to comply.

In addition to the impeachment procedure, the conservative leader is the target of several investigations, including one for rebelliona crime punishable by death. The Office for the Investigation of Corruption of High Personalities (CIO), which centralizes the investigations, failed to apprehend him at his home on January 3, pushed back by the Presidential Security Service (PSS) determined to protect him.

Act of rebellion or not

If at least six out of eight court justices uphold the impeachment, it will trigger a new presidential election within 60 days. Otherwise, Mr. Yoon, although very unpopular, will be reinstated in office.

The impeachment case only focuses on martial law, so the facts are not particularly complexreports to theAFP lawyer Kim Nam-ju, believing that the process shouldn’t take too long.

Yoon Suk-yeol’s legal team, for its part, calls on the Court to use the entire allotted time to study the case, in particular what led to the declaration of martial law.

New arrest attempt

In parallel, the IOC continues its preparations in preparation for his second arrest attempt, an official told reporters on Tuesday.

In order not to repeat the fiasco of January 3, the National Investigation Agency, a division of the police, asked senior police officials in Seoul to be ready to deploy 1,000 officers, according to the Yonhap agency.

Opposite, Mr. Yoon’s guard has reinforced the defenses of his residence, bristling with barbed wire, while buses block the entrance.

An army unit patrols outside, but does not will not be mobilized during the execution of the mandateLee Kyung-ho, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, told the press.

Police, the IOC and the PSS met on Tuesday to discuss the arrest warrant, Yonhap reported.

Mr. Yoon’s chief of staff, Chung Jin-suk, said his office was willing to consider all options for investigation or visits to the fallen leader in a third place.

An arrest of Yoon Suk-yeol, still formally president pending the decision of the Constitutional Court, would represent a first for a sitting South Korean head of state.