Seoul: The Constitutional Court is scheduled to conduct its inaugural pretrial hearing regarding the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on January 13, as reported by judicial officials on Monday. This hearing marks the beginning of legal proceedings following the National Assembly's decision to impeach Prime Minister Han.
According to Yonhap News Agency, official communications have been made to the legal representatives of both the National Assembly and Prime Minister Han, informing them that the initial preparatory hearing will take place at 4 p.m. on the specified date. The impeachment comes less than two weeks after Han assumed the role of acting president due to the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who faced backlash over the brief imposition of martial law.
The upcoming hearing aims to address preliminary matters such as the selection of witnesses and evidence. It is noteworthy that Prime Minister Han is not required to attend this session. Typically, these preparatory sessions are conducted two to three times before the commencement of oral arguments.
The main opposition Democratic Party has accused Han of involvement in President Yoon's controversial imposition of martial law and his failure to appoint new justices to the Constitutional Court, citing these as the primary reasons for the impeachment. Meanwhile, the ruling People Power Party has contested the validity of the impeachment. They have filed an injunction with the Constitutional Court, seeking suspension of the impeachment proceedings.