Seoul: The first formal hearing of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial concluded swiftly after four minutes on Tuesday as President Yoon was absent. The Constitutional Court also dismissed his request to exclude one of eight justices from participating in the trial.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the next hearing is set for 2 p.m. on Thursday, and the trial will continue irrespective of Yoon's attendance, stated acting court President Moon Hyung-bae, citing applicable laws. The hearing took place a month after the National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon following his brief implementation of martial law on December 3.
Yoon's legal team indicated that the suspended president would not attend the hearing due to safety concerns amidst attempts by investigators to detain him on charges of insurrection and abuse of power related to the martial law decree. The court, led by Moon, unanimously dismissed Yoon's appeal to exclude Justice Chung Kye-sun, whose prior leadership of a progressive law research society raised concerns about impartiality.
Additionally, the court dismissed Yoon's objection to the scheduling of five hearing dates, asserting that the decision was guided by Constitutional Court regulations rather than criminal court procedures. The court has a 180-day deadline from December 14 to determine whether to uphold or dismiss Yoon's impeachment.
Should the impeachment be upheld, Yoon will be removed from office, prompting a snap presidential election within 60 days. If dismissed, he will resume his duties. Acting as the prosecutor, the National Assembly requested five witnesses for the trial, including prominent figures such as Hong Jang-won, Cho Ji-ho, and several lieutenant generals from military and intelligence sectors.