Seoul, Jan 3 (NationPress) The Constitutional Court of South Korea declared on Friday that the inaugural oral arguments for the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk Yeol will take place on January 14, as it concluded its preparatory sessions.
Justice Lee Mi-son stated that the hearing is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on January 14, coinciding with the second preparatory meeting between the legal representatives of Yoon and the National Assembly regarding the impeachment.
This session is set to occur exactly one month after the National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon on December 14 due to his brief enforcement of martial law.
The court has also determined that the subsequent arguments will occur on January 16 should Yoon not attend the initial session.
While Yoon is mandated to be present at the first arguments, the court retains the authority to proceed with the trial even in his absence during the second session.
Prior to the hearing, representatives from the National Assembly alleged that an insurrection led by Yoon is currently ongoing, whereas Yoon's defense team disputed this claim, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
"The insurrection is still not over and is ongoing," Jung Chung-rae informed reporters outside the court. "The entire public is observing through live TV as insurrection leader Yoon Suk Yeol obstructs justice and fails to respond to a court-issued warrant."
Earlier in the day, investigators attempted to apprehend Yoon but chose to halt their efforts following a prolonged standoff with security personnel at his residence.
In the meantime, Yoon's legal team advocated for a "thorough" examination of evidence to ascertain any potential misconduct.
"Evidence must be rigorously contested to determine if there was actual wrongdoing," Bae Jin-han, one of Yoon's attorneys, stated. "It is not appropriate to label it an insurrection."
Yoon has refuted accusations of inciting an insurrection by proclaiming martial law, contending that it was a "governance act" and a caution against what he characterized as legislative power abuse by the main opposition Democratic Party.
He is currently facing arrest following a court-issued warrant for his detention.
The Constitutional Court has a period of 180 days to determine whether to affirm or reject the impeachment, starting from the date it received the case on December 14.
If the impeachment is upheld, Yoon will be ousted from his position, prompting a snap presidential election within 60 days. Conversely, if it is dismissed, he will be reinstated.
