SEOUL, Jan 13 (NNN-YONHAP) – South Korean President, Yoon Suk-yeol, will not attend the first hearing of his impeachment trial, scheduled for tomorrow, for safety concerns, Yoon’s defence counsel said, yesterday.
Yun Gap-geun, Yoon’s lawyer, was quoted by multiple media outlets as saying that, concerns remained about safety and mishaps as the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and National Office of Investigation (NOI) continued their attempt to execute a warrant, to arrest the impeached president.
The counsel noted that, safety and security issues should be resolved in order for Yoon to appear in the trial, adding that, Yoon will be present at any time when the safety issue is resolved.
The constitutional court planned to hold the first official hearing of Yoon’s impeachment trial on Jan 14 (tomorrow), with the next hearings slated for Jan 16, 21, 23 and Feb 4.
The impeachment motion against Yoon was passed in the National Assembly on Dec 14, last year, and was delivered to the constitutional court to deliberate it for up to 180 days, during which Yoon’s presidential power is suspended.
Yoon, named by investigative agencies as a suspected ringleader on insurrection charge, declared martial law on the night of Dec 3, but it was revoked by the National Assembly hours later.
Investigators attempted to arrest Yoon in the presidential residence on Jan 3, but it failed as the presidential security service blocked the execution of the warrant.
A Seoul court granted the extension of warrant to apprehend Yoon, last Tuesday, by issuing the second warrant against the impeached president.– NNN-YONHAP
