Amid an increasing likeliness of her impeachment and consequent ouster from power, President Park Geun-hye requested that the Constitutional Court put off the final pleading by a week.
In a written statement submitted to the court on Saturday, Park’s lawyers demanded that the final pleading of the ongoing impeachment trial be rescheduled from Feb. 24 to March 2 or 3, court officials said Sunday.
In a written statement submitted to the court on Saturday, Park’s lawyers demanded that the final pleading of the ongoing impeachment trial be rescheduled from Feb. 24 to March 2 or 3, court officials said Sunday.
Their claim is that the current timeline -- examining the witnesses for the last time, submitting a written statement and holding the final pleading in just three days -- is insufficient, considering the urgency of the issue.
Despite mounting suspicions that the impeachment judgment may dwindle away, the court confirmed last week that it would wrap up the interrogation and pleading process by this week and move onto its decision.
But, at least five to 10 days are needed from the last witness interrogation to the final pleading in order for the lawyers to validly review all of the testimonies and evidence, Park‘s lawyers said.
Such call for more time also came in line with their earlier request for key witnesses -- absentees whom the court had ruled out of the trial for the sake of time-saving. Of them was Ko Young-tae, a former close aide to Choi Soon-sil, the presidential confidante who triggered the entire corruption scandal and the consequent impeachment calls on Park.
Park’s legal representation also inquired whether the president may attend the final pleading to deliver her official statement, without facing questions from the parliamentary impeachment committee or the court.
Since the top court took on her impeachment case, Park has offered to cooperate with the trial, as well as with the special investigation, but has so far failed to make her presence in either.
The timeline delay, if accepted, is likely to cause a setback in the court’s decision-making process, especially as Justice Lee Jung-mi, who is currently acting as chief justice, is due to retire on March 13.
Once she steps down, the court will be operated in an interim seven-member system, in which case the impeachment may be dismissed upon the disapproval from a mere two justices. The Constitutional Court ruling to impeach an incumbent president requires a quorum of at least five justices out of the standing total.
The decision on whether or not to delay the trial by a week is to be announced on Monday, during the 15th pleading session.
By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)
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Articles by Korea Herald