S Korea begins impeachment trial against suspended president

SOUTH KOREA: South Korea’s constitutional court has held its first hearing to decide if suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol should be removed from office after his shock martial law attempt last month.

It ended within four minutes because of Yoon’s absence – his lawyers had earlier said he would not attend for his own safety, as there is a warrant out for his arrest on seperate charges of insurrection.

In December, Yoon was suspended after members of his own party voted with the opposition to impeach him.
However, he will only be formally removed from office if at least six of the eight-member bench votes to uphold the impeachment.

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According to South Korean law, the court must set a new date for a hearing before they can proceed without his participation.

The next hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

Yoon’s lawyers have indicated that he will show up for a hearing at an “appropriate time”, but they have challenged the court’s “unilateral decision” on trial dates.

The court on Tuesday rejected the lawyers’ request for one of the eight justices to be recused from the proceedings.
Yoon has not commented publicly since parliament voted to impeach him on 14 Dec and has been speaking primarily through his lawyers.