South Korea’s constitutional court has started reviewing President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment over his attempt to impose martial law on December 3. The court, which consists of six justices, will hold its first public hearing on December 27 to discuss the case and determine whether to remove Yoon from office.
The court has up to six months to make a decision, during which time it will examine major legal issues in the case and schedule other matters. Yoon is not required to attend this hearing, as seen in a similar process that led to the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye in 2017, when the court took three months to issue its ruling.
Yoon faces potential charges of insurrection, abuse of authority, and obstructing people’s rights. A joint team of investigators is planning to call him in for questioning on Wednesday, despite his attempt to avoid appearing. The president’s security service declined to receive a summons from investigators, citing it was not within their capacity to do so.
The leader of Yoon’s ruling party, Han Dong-hoon, has resigned after supporting the impeachment and criticizing Yoon’s decision to impose martial law. Han, who once considered himself Yoon’s closest ally, now faces opposition from his own party due to his drastic stance on the issue.
Han’s resignation marks a significant shift in the party’s stance, highlighting deeper divisions within South Korea’s conservative movement. The incident has sparked controversy over Yoon’s actions and raises questions about the country’s democratic institutions.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/16/south-korea-han-dong-hoon-resignation-impeachment-yoon-suk-yeol