Yoon’s impeachment trial cut short over his absence
SEOUL—South Korea’s Constitutional Court adjourned the opening session of the impeachment trial of suspended President Yoon Suk-yeol within minutes on Tuesday after the embattled leader did not attend court.
A lawyer advising Yoon had said the president, who has been holed up in his hillside villa in Seoul for weeks, would not attend, saying a bid by authorities to detain him prevented Yoon from expressing his position at the trial.
The next trial session is scheduled for Thursday and if Yoon also decides not to attend the trial proceedings will start with his legal team representing him.
Outside the court, one of Yoon’s lawyers Yoon Kab-keun said the president would decide whether to go to the court in person on Thursday after discussions on his defense strategy.
The Constitutional Court must decide within 180 days whether to remove Yoon from office or restore his presidential powers.
Yoon also faces a criminal investigation for alleged insurrection, with authorities seeking to execute an arrest warrant after he ignored summons to appear for questioning.
Avoiding a clash
His lawyer repeated on Tuesday that the arrest warrant of investigating authorities was invalid, and said Yoon will respond to a valid detention warrant that is executed legally.
Yoon’s declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 that was withdrawn after about six hours has plunged one of Asia’s most vibrant democracies into a period of unprecedented political turbulence.
Yoon’s chief of staff said on Tuesday that Yoon’s office was ready to consult with investigating authorities in order to avoid a clash during the execution of the arrest warrant against Yoon.
