South Korea’s Constitutional Court has begun reviewing the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law proclamation, starting a process to decide if he will be removed from office. The court will hold its first public hearing on December 27 and has up to six months to make a decision.
President Yoon is not required to attend the hearing, but investigators plan to question him this week on criminal charges related to his martial law declaration. A joint team from the police, defence ministry, and anti-corruption agency will call Yoon in for questioning about potential charges of insurrection.
The impeachment process has sparked concerns over South Korea’s ability to prepare for a potential second Trump presidency in the US, which could impact the country’s diplomatic relations with North Korea. The government is working to reassure international partners and investors, while opposition parties are seeking cooperation to stabilize the situation.
A joint team from the police, defence ministry, and anti-corruption agency will question Yoon this week about charges related to martial law. However, the presidential security service has declined to accept a summons for Yoon to appear, citing that it is not in its position to do so.
The impeachment process has also led to economic concerns, as markets reacted to the news with the benchmark KOSPI index falling on Monday. The opposition Democratic Party has welcomed Trump’s selection of his former intelligence chief to handle special missions related to North Korea, indicating a commitment to dialogue to ease tensions.
The court’s decision will have significant implications for Yoon and the country’s political landscape. With the impeachment vote passing with at least 12 members of Yoon’s ruling party joining in favor, the opposition is seeking to capitalize on the crisis to gain ground in the coming months.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korea-court-begins-review-yoon-impeachment-2024-12-16