Yoon’s lawyers, National Assembly lock horns at 2nd preparatory hearing

Justices Cheong Hyung-sik (left) and Lee Mi-seon proceed the second preparatory hearing for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court of Korea in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap)
Justices Cheong Hyung-sik (left) and Lee Mi-seon proceed the second preparatory hearing for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court of Korea in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap)

The Constitutional Court of Korea said Friday that President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial is formally set to begin on Jan. 14. Yoon is legally required to attend the trial.

During the court’s second preparatory hearing on Friday, Justice Lee Mi-seon, one of two lead judges examining the evidence and arguments, said the court had scheduled the first and second formal hearing dates for Jan. 14 and 16. The second date was set as a contingency in case President Yoon fails to appear at the first hearing.

Two rounds of preparatory hearings so far have been attended by Yoon’s legal representatives, since his attendance was not compulsory.

On Friday, the two sides continued to lock horns on key issues during the approximately 90-minute hearing.

Yoon’s lawyers argued that his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 was legitimate, without giving a specific reasoning, explaining that due to the size of their case they would submit the reasons later in a written statement.

Yoon’s legal team, which added three new lawyers, stated that the impeachment trial is a political fight between the opposition and ruling party, and is further seen as a fight between liberals and conservatives.

“The courtroom is a place not for a mere impeachment ruling. (It is a place where) struggles of systems and values happen. It is where war happens,” one of Yoon's lawyers told the justices, adding that the impeachment trial must proceed with care instead of haste.

“(The legally mandated deadline for the court to uphold or overturn the impeachment of) 180 days is the minimum timeline guaranteed for the president. Justices, please don’t ignore it and give it careful consideration,” Yoon’s lawyer added.

President Yoon Suk Yeol's legal representative Bae Bo-yoon enters the courtroom for the second preparatory hearing for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court of Korea in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap)
President Yoon Suk Yeol's legal representative Bae Bo-yoon enters the courtroom for the second preparatory hearing for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court of Korea in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap)

While a majority of the key issues addressed by Yoon’s side were about how unjust the procedures undertaken by the National Assembly for the impeachment motion were, the lawyers also pointed to media reports they claimed were hostile to Yoon.

“Media are releasing hostile reports and we are very careful what would happen to us, based on a single headline written by media,” Yoon’s side said.

“You may not understand, but Yoon is weak and isolated. … He is being chopped down now (by the media),” they added.

When Yoon’s lawyers appealed to justices on the basis of the reports, Justice Cheong Hyung-sik stopped them, saying it is the “justices not media who make the decision.”

National Assembly impeachment committee chief Jung Chung-rae (center) speaks with other legal representatives at the second preparatory hearing held for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court of Korea in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap)
National Assembly impeachment committee chief Jung Chung-rae (center) speaks with other legal representatives at the second preparatory hearing held for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court of Korea in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap)

Meanwhile, the National Assembly’s impeachment investigation committee, which serves as the prosecution in the impeachment trial, argued that Yoon’s legal team was distorting the nature of the trial and insulting the justices.

The committee’s chief Rep. Jung Chung-rae also told reporters prior to the hearing that the insurrection is “ongoing,” as witnessed by Yoon’s refusal to cooperate with authorities’ attempted execution of an arrest warrant for his detention, Friday morning.

Yoon’s lawyer Bae Jin-han rebutted Jung’s remarks, saying that “whether Yoon is right or wrong must be proven with evidence, and it’s better to not use the word 'insurrection.’”