Seoul, Jan 21 (IANS) – South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, currently detained, appeared at the Constitutional Court on Tuesday to attend the trial deliberating his impeachment over his brief declaration of martial law.
President Yoon departed the Seoul Detention Centre in Uiwang, located just south of the capital, in a convoy heavily escorted by the Presidential Security Service. He entered the court discreetly via an underground parking lot, avoiding public view.
Dressed in a suit, Yoon entered the courtroom at 2 p.m. to participate in the third hearing of his trial. He is expected to present his defense regarding the December 3, 2024, declaration of martial law that has brought his presidency into turmoil.
This appearance marks the first time a sitting South Korean President has personally attended their impeachment trial. Former Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye did not appear during their respective proceedings.
Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly on December 14, 2024, and remains suspended from his duties. The impeachment accuses him of leading an insurrection and abusing his presidential powers through the martial law declaration.
The Constitutional Court, which received the case on December 14, has 180 days to determine whether to uphold the impeachment and remove Yoon from office or dismiss the charges and reinstate him. If the court decides to remove Yoon, South Korea will be required to hold a snap presidential election within 60 days.
Outside the court, hundreds of Yoon’s supporters gathered, holding signs reading “Impeachment Invalid.” The police enforced tight security measures around the court, parking buses along sidewalks and surrounding the perimeter to prevent potential violence among protesters.
Yoon’s appearance at the court was his first public sighting since the controversial martial law declaration on December 3, 2024. The declaration, though short-lived, has plunged South Korea into a period of political instability and uncertainty, with debates over presidential powers and constitutional limits dominating public discourse.
Recent Random Post:
