South Korea’s constitutional court has begun impeachment trial proceedings against President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was suspended for declaring martial law and plunging his country into political chaos.
Lawmakers voted to impeach Yoon last Saturday, after his actions sparked widespread protests calling for his resignation.
The court now has six months to decide whether to remove Yoon or reinstate him.
Yoon’s ruling People’s Power Party (PPP) has been grappling with the fallout since then, with its leader announcing his resignation on Monday.
While public hearings in Yoon’s impeachment trial could last months, the court is under pressure to decide quickly and end the political unrest. Protesters vowed to continue calling for Yoon’s removal during the court proceedings.
In two previous cases in which the South Korean president was impeached, the court annulled one decision and upheld the other.
There have been questions about whether the trial can proceed in Yoon’s case, as the court currently has only six of its nine justices. Ba retired recently and has not yet been replaced.
But the court on Monday said it could proceed with Yoon’s trial with just six judges and set a preliminary hearing date for December 27.
If the court upholds the impeachment in Yoon’s case, the country must hold a new presidential election within 60 days. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is holding the position of acting president.
It is unclear whether Yoon will take the stand himself during the court hearings.
He ignored a summons to meet with prosecutors in Seoul on Sunday and will be ordered again for questioning. If he doesn’t appear this week, police will likely arrest him.
Yoon defended his decision to impose martial law and after being impeached, he once again said he would fight to the end.
Minutes after the constitutional court convened on Monday morning, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon announced his resignation.
Getty Images“I sincerely apologize to all those who are suffering from this emergency,” Han said in a televised press conference.
Han has faced growing calls to resign, especially from the large pro-Yoon faction of his party, following the presidential impeachment.
Han initially tried to arrange an orderly exit for Yoon. But later a defiant speech by Yoon, Han turned around and called for his impeachment, saying it was the only way to stop him.
On Saturday, 12 PPP lawmakers reportedly voted for impeachment, helping the motion pass. But most other PPP lawmakers voted against Yoon’s impeachment.
All five members of the PPP’s Supreme Council said after the vote that they would resign – which would automatically dissolve the party leadership.
Because the Supreme Council had been “destroyed,” Han said, it was now “impossible” to hold the position of party secretary.
“Even though it pains me to think of my heartbroken supporters, I have no regrets about it,” Han said of his decision to call for Yoon’s impeachment.
