South Korea’s Constitutional Court has begun hearings on the impeachment of President Yun Seok-Yeol, who was suspended from office for declaring martial law and plunging the country into political turmoil.
Lawmakers voted last Saturday to impeach Yun after his actions sparked widespread protests calling for his resignation.
The court now has six months to decide whether to dismiss or reinstate Yoon.
Yun’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) has been grappling with the fallout ever since, with the leader announcing his resignation on Monday.
Hearings in Yun’s impeachment trial could take months, but the court is under pressure to make a quick decision and end political uncertainty. Protesters vowed to continue demanding Yun’s removal during the trial.
In the past two trials in which South Korean presidents faced impeachment, courts reversed one decision and upheld the other.
With only six of the nine judges currently on the court, there were doubts whether Yun’s case could proceed. Three people recently retired and have not yet been replaced.
However, the court announced on Monday that Yoon’s trial may be held before only six judges, setting a preliminary hearing date of December 27.
If the court upholds Yun’s impeachment, the country will have to hold a new presidential election within 60 days. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han Deok-soo will serve as acting president.
It is unclear whether Yoon will personally take the stand as a witness at the trial.
He ignored a subpoena to meet prosecutors in Seoul on Sunday and is expected to appear in court again for questioning. If he does not come forward this week, police may move to arrest him.
Yun has defended his decision to impose martial law and reiterated that he will fight to the end after being impeached.
Minutes after the Constitutional Court convened on Monday morning, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon announced his resignation.
Getty Images“I sincerely apologize to all the people who are suffering from this emergency,” Prime Minister Han said in a televised news conference.
Following the president’s impeachment, calls for Han to resign have been growing, especially from the pro-Yun faction within the party.
Initially, Mr. Han was trying to give Mr. Yoon an orderly exit. However, when it became clear that Yun had not resigned, Han changed his tune and called for impeachment, saying this was the only way to remove Yun from office.
Twelve PPP MPs are believed to have voted in favor of impeachment on Saturday, allowing the motion to pass. However, most other Democratic Party members voted against impeaching Yun.
All five members of the PPP’s Supreme Council announced their resignation after the vote, which would automatically dissolve the party’s leadership.
Mr Han said that the Supreme Council had been “destroyed”, making it “impossible” for him to fulfill his duties as party leader.
Regarding the decision to call for Yoon’s impeachment, Han said, “My heart hurts when I think about the pain of my supporters, but I have no regrets.”
