South Korea court begins review of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment
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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and a number of senior officials face potential charges of insurrection, for the short-lived martial law.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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SEOUL – South Korea’s Constitutional Court on Dec 16 began reviewing the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his Dec 3 martial law attempt
The court will hold the first public hearing on Dec 27, spokeswoman Lee Jean told a news conference, after the court’s six justices met to discuss plans for reviewing the impeachment by the opposition-controlled Parliament
The court has up to six months to decide whether to remove Mr Yoon from office or to reinstate him. The first hearing will be “preparatory” to confirm major legal issues of the case and schedule, among other matters, Ms Lee said.
Mr Yoon is not required to attend that hearing, she added.
In 2017, the court took three months to issue a ruling to strip then President Park Geun-hye of the presidency following her impeachment for abusing the powers of her office.
Mr Yoon and a number of senior officials face potential charges of insurrection for the short-lived martial law.
A joint team of investigators from the police, the Defence Ministry and an anti-corruption agency are planning to call Mr Yoon in for questioning at 10am on Dec 18, a police official told Reuters.
The presidential security service declined to accept a summons for Mr Yoon to appear, saying it was not in the position to do so, Yonhap news agency said. An anti-corruption agency said the summons was also sent by express registered mail.
Mr Yoon, himself a career prosecutor before becoming president in his first run for elected office, has named a former prosecutor, Mr Kim Hong-il, to lead a team of attorneys in the impeachment review and in criminal investigations, local media reported. Mr Kim could not be immediately reached for comment.
The government, led by Acting President Han Duck-soo, has continued to try to reassure international partners and investors, while political parties pledged to cooperate in efforts to stabilise the situation.
Early on Dec 16, the Finance Minister, Bank of Korea governor and top financial regulators met and pledged around-the-clock monitoring of financial and foreign exchange markets.
Mr Yoon’s surprise martial law declaration and the ensuing political crisis spooked markets and South Korea’s diplomatic partners, worried over the country’s ability to deter nuclear-armed North Korea.
MPs have also raised concerns that the martial law debacle has been damaging at a time when South Korea needs to be preparing for the second Donald Trump presidency in the US, the country’s biggest ally.
Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and ruling People Power Party floor leader Kweon Seong-dong discussed tackling economic challenges, including heightened uncertainty for the trade-dependent country created by Trump’s pledge to hike tariffs.
Opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung welcomed Trump’s selection of his former intelligence chief to handle special missions, including North Korea, as a sign of commitment for dialogue to ease tensions.
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said the nomination of Mr Richard Grenell indicated North Korea will be one of the top priorities of Trump’s presidency. Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on three occasions during his first term.
The benchmark Kospi index fell on Dec 16 after last week’s sharp gains prior to the impeachment, as traders were seen to be booking profit amid eased political uncertainty.
The Dec 14 impeachment vote passed with at least 12 members of Mr Yoon’s People Power Party joining in favour, which has thrown the party into disarray, with its leader Han Dong-hoon announcing his resignation on Dec 16
