Yoon's impeachment trial likely to proceed without his attendance

Martial law imposition was 'high-level political act': Yoon's statement to court With suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol taken into custody by the joint probe team Wednesday morning, it is likely that Yoon's second hearing in his impeachment trial scheduled for Thursday will take place without his attendance. According to police, Yoon can be held and questioned for up to 48 hours from 11 a.m. on Wednesday, making it unlikely that Yoon will appear in court for his hearing scheduled for Thursday at

Jan. 15, 2025

Yoon absence cuts first hearing short, court to fully start trial Thursday

Court dismisses request from Yoon's lawyers to exclude Justice Jung Gye-seon from trial The Constitutional Court of Korea on Tuesday began President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial with its first formal hearing, which concluded in just four minutes due to Yoon’s absence. “Due to the absence of the defendant, we will not proceed with the hearing in accordance with Article 52 of the Constitutional Court Act. The next hearing will be on the 16th at 2 p.m., and based on Clause 2 of Article 52, the

Jan. 14, 2025

Court holds 1st hearing in PM Han Duck-soo’s impeachment trial

The Constitutional Court held the first preparatory hearing for Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s impeachment trial on Monday. Presided over by Justices Kim Hyeong-du and Kim Bok-hyeong, the preparatory hearing was attended by Han’s legal representatives from the law firm Apex. Prior to the hearing, the attorneys submitted a statement some 80 pages long, accompanied by reference materials on Jan. 6. According to news reports, Han's team argued that Han's refusal to appoint court justices nominated w

Jan. 13, 2025

Yoon's impeachment trial to start Tuesday

President won’t attend 1st hearing for security reasons: lawyer Thirty-one days after President Yoon Suk Yeol was suspended from office by parliament, a trial is set to begin Tuesday at the Constitutional Court to review his impeachment and determine the fate of the embattled leader. Despite his earlier resolve to attend the hearing, Yoon will not be present in the courtroom on Tuesday due to security concerns, his legal representatives said Sunday. They cited the possibility of investigators at

Jan. 12, 2025

Constitutional Court 'not shaken' by attempts to sway public opinion

The Constitutional Court of Korea stated Thursday that it remains "unshaken" by attempts by various parties to influence or manipulate public opinion outside the courtroom. “As an independent adjudicative body, the Constitutional Court is not swayed by public opinion battles outside the courtroom and is proceeding with a fair trial,” Cheon Jae-yeon, spokesperson of the court, told reporters regarding the ongoing public opinion battle between the National Assembly and President Yoon Suk Yeol’s le

Jan. 9, 2025

'What Yoon attempted was a coup disguised as martial law’: scholars

South Korea’s constitutional scholars called President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Dec. 3 martial law declaration “a pro-government coup attempt to strengthen his own power,” arguing that it violated the Constitution and the Martial Law Act. Some 100 constitutional scholars, who formerly held positions at Constitution-related institutes or currently teach law at universities here, stressed the need to amend laws, including the Martial Law Act, and hold those responsible accountable to prevent similar incide

Jan. 9, 2025

Conflict escalates over Assembly’s withdrawal of Yoon’s insurrection charge

President Yoon Suk Yeol’s legal representatives called Tuesday for his impeachment to be thrown out over the exclusion of a charge for insurrection, while the National Assembly’s impeachment committee continued to defend the move. The committee told the Constitutional Court Friday it would withdraw the insurrection charge from the grounds of impeachment so the justices can expedite the trial. The trial should focus on constitutional violations, rather than delving into specific offenses under cr

Jan. 7, 2025

Court ramps up preparation for Yoon’s first formal hearing on Jan. 14

The Constitutional Court of Korea is ramping up preparations for the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk Yeol, holding the first meeting of eight justices on Monday, about a week ahead of a formal hearing scheduled for Jan. 14. The meeting was held after the court transitioned to an eight-member bench with new Justices Cho Han-chang and Jung Gye-seon beginning their six-year terms last week. The court's press officer Cheon Jae-hyun told reporters that justices' decision to hold five hearings

Jan. 6, 2025

Yoon’s impeachment trial to formally begin Jan. 14

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

Jan. 3, 2025

Court to hold meeting of 8-member justices on Monday

Court holds Yoon’s second preparatory hearing Friday The Constitutional Court of Korea said Friday that it would hold a regular meeting on Monday, the first since becoming an eight-member system. The court’s press officer Cheon Jae-hyun told reporters that acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae would convene a judges’ meeting Monday, where they are expected to share updates on several pending cases, including the impeachment trials of President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. Discuss

Jan. 3, 2025