South Korea's Impeachment Proceedings Against President Yoon Postponed Due to Absence
SEOUL - The opening session of the impeachment trial for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was temporarily postponed on Tuesday as the president failed to attend. The Constitutional Court, which is tasked with adjudicating the trial, concluded the session within minutes of its commencement.
A representative for Yoon indicated that the president has been residing at his private villa in Seoul for several weeks and would not appear in court. This decision was reportedly influenced by ongoing attempts by authorities to detain him, which they claim hinder his ability to present his case during the trial.
The next session of the impeachment trial has been scheduled for Thursday. Should President Yoon again choose not to attend, his legal team will proceed to represent him in the proceedings. One of Yoon's attorneys, Yoon Kab-keun, mentioned that the president would make a final decision regarding his appearance following consultations about his defense strategy.
The Constitutional Court is mandated to reach a decision regarding Yoon's impeachment within a 180-day timeframe, determining whether he will be removed from office or have his presidential powers reinstated. Additionally, Yoon is currently under investigation for alleged insurrection, with authorities pursuing an arrest warrant following his failure to comply with summons for questioning.
The president's legal representative reiterated on Tuesday that the arrest warrant issued by investigative authorities is deemed invalid, asserting that Yoon would comply only with a legitimate detention warrant executed in accordance with the law.
Yoon's declaration of martial law on December 3, which was retracted after approximately six hours, has propelled South Korea into a period of significant political instability, raising concerns regarding the nation's democratic integrity.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Yoon's chief of staff confirmed that the presidential office is prepared to engage with investigative authorities in an effort to avoid confrontation during the execution of the arrest warrant against Yoon. The potential for Yoon to relocate to a different venue outside his secured residence, or for officials to visit his home for questioning, was also discussed.
Authorities, including the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and the police, have received a renewed arrest warrant from a South Korean court, following an earlier unsuccessful attempt to detain Yoon amid heightened security at the presidential residence.
During a recent meeting, the police and CIO requested cooperation from the Presidential Security Service (PSS) to ensure the peaceful and safe execution of the warrant, and they are currently awaiting a response from the presidential office.
The South Korean defense ministry announced on Tuesday that military forces responsible for presidential security would not be deployed in relation to the execution of Yoon's arrest warrant.
As political tensions escalate in South Korea, North Korea has conducted several short-range ballistic missile tests, coinciding with the visit of Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya to Seoul and just days before the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. South Korean lawmakers were briefed by the National Intelligence Service on Monday, indicating that recent missile tests by North Korea may aim to showcase its deterrent capabilities to the U.S. and attract Trump's attention.
