SEOUL, Jan 21, (V7N) – South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to appear at the Constitutional Court on Tuesday for hearings to determine if his impeachment will be upheld, his lawyer confirmed. Yoon was impeached following a controversial martial law declaration on December 3, which lasted only six hours before lawmakers overturned it. Stripped of his presidential duties, Yoon also became the first sitting president in South Korean history to be arrested on insurrection charges.

The Constitutional Court hearings began last week, and while Yoon missed the initial sessions, his legal team emphasized the significance of his presence moving forward. If the court rules against him, Yoon will permanently lose the presidency, prompting elections within 60 days. Meanwhile, the president has refused to cooperate with the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) leading the criminal probe into his martial law declaration, complicating efforts to question him.

Yoon's recent decision to attend the hearings is seen by some analysts as a strategy to rally his supporters rather than engage meaningfully with the judicial process. His lawyer argued that direct interaction with the court would provide judges with firsthand insights into his case, but legal experts caution that his refusal to cooperate with the criminal investigation could weaken his position in the impeachment trial.

The impeachment and arrest of Yoon have further polarized South Korea's political landscape. While Yoon continues to claim that the probe is unlawful and vows to resist until the end, the opposition Democratic Party, which holds a parliamentary majority, has lauded his arrest as a step toward restoring constitutional order. The trial, expected to last months, could significantly impact South Korea's political stability.

END/WD/RH/