The Constitutional Court of South Korea began analyzing this Monday (16) the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol due to the proclamation of Martial Law on December 3.
That begins a process to decide whether he will be removed from office, while investigators plan to question him this week on criminal charges.
The court will hold its first public hearing on December 27, spokeswoman Lee Jean said at a press conference, after the court’s six judges met to discuss impeachment review plans approved by Parliament on Saturday. .
The court has up to six months to decide whether to remove Yoon from office or reinstate him. The first hearing will be “preparatory”, to confirm the main legal issues of the case and the schedule, among other matters, according to Lee.
Chairman Yoon Suk Yeol is not required to attend that hearing, she said.
In 2017, the court took three months to issue a decision to remove then-president Park Geun-hye from the presidency, after she was impeached for abusing her powers.
Yoon and several high-ranking officials also face possible Martial Law insurrection charges.
Interrogation of the President of South Korea
A joint team of police, the Defense Ministry and an anti-corruption agency is planning to call Yoon in for questioning on Wednesday in connection with the allegations, a police official told Reuters.
The presidential security service refused to accept summons for Yoon, highlighting that it was not in a position to do so, Yonhap news agency reported.
Yoon Suk Yeol, who was a prosecutor before becoming president, appointed a former prosecutor, Kim Hong-il, to lead a team of lawyers in the impeachment review and criminal investigations, local media reported.
Kim could not immediately be reached for comment.
The government, led by interim President Han Duck-soo, continues to try to reassure international partners and investors, while political parties have pledged to cooperate in efforts to stabilize the situation.
The surprising declaration of Martial Law and the political crisis that followed scared markets and South Korea’s diplomatic partners.
Members of Parliament also raised concerns that the case was harmful at a time when South Korea needs to prepare for Donald Trump’s second presidency in the United States, the country’s closest ally.
This content was originally published in South Korea: Constitutional Court begins analysis of president’s impeachment on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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