Seoul: The National Assembly's legal team has demanded the removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol from office during the final impeachment hearing at the Constitutional Court. This demand follows Yoon's short-lived imposition of martial law, which has been the focal point of the impeachment proceedings.
According to Yonhap News Agency, President Yoon was not present in the courtroom as the National Assembly's lawyers began their final arguments, emphasizing the need for the court to uphold the impeachment due to Yoon's unexpected declaration of martial law on December 3. Yoon is expected to appear later to present his statement, during which he will likely defend his actions and potentially apologize to the nation.
Song Doo-hwan, one of the National Assembly's lawyers, argued that the evidence presented during the impeachment trial showed that Yoon violated the Constitution and laws through insurrection actions. He noted the unprecedented nature of this case, highlighting its constitutional and legal gravity.
Following the National Assembly's arguments, Yoon's legal team presented their case before the president and Rep. Jung Chung-rai of the main opposition Democratic Party. Both Yoon and Jung have unlimited time to deliver their final statements. Yoon intends to explain the context of his martial law declaration and challenge the legality of the investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and the prosecution.
Attention is also focused on whether Yoon will apologize for the political turmoil resulting from his martial law declaration and subsequent impeachment. Jung plans to use his final arguments to advocate for Yoon's removal, contrasting Yoon's claims with the truth, and outlining steps for the nation to overcome the crisis.
The National Assembly's impeachment motion accuses Yoon of violating the Constitution and laws by declaring martial law without a national emergency and bypassing required procedures, such as holding a Cabinet meeting and notifying parliament. Yoon contends that his martial law declaration was a governance measure to warn the opposition party about its actions against government officials and budget cuts.
Legal experts predict that the court will announce its decision on Yoon's removal or reinstatement within two weeks, drawing parallels with the precedents set by former Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye.