Seoul: The Constitutional Court announced it will commence the impeachment trial of police chief Cho Ji-ho next month, addressing his alleged involvement in the imposition of martial law by former President Yoon Suk Yeol. This trial comes after the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against Cho over six months ago.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the first preparatory hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. on July 1. Cho, who serves as the commissioner-general of the Korean National Police Agency, is accused of directing officers to seal off the National Assembly compound on December 3, the day martial law was imposed, in an effort to prevent lawmakers from voting against the decree.
The preparatory hearing aims to verify the arguments and evidence presented by both the claimant and the respondent and to outline the schedule for future proceedings. While the hearing is open to the public, it does not require the attendance of the respondent, allowing Cho to be absent from this initial stage.