South Korean President Appears In Court Again Over Impeachment Decision

South Koreaβs impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was arrested and suspended from office following his martial law declaration, appeared in court once again on Tuesday, for hearings aimed at determining whether he should be officially removed from office.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, caused significant political upheaval in South Korea when he declared martial law on December 3, 2024, suspending civilian governance and deploying military personnel to parliament.
The martial law was short-lived, lasting only six hours, as opposition lawmakers managed to vote it down despite the presence of armed troops which led to Yoonβs impeachment.
As part of a separate investigation into his actions, Yoon was arrested during a dawn raid in mid-January on charges of insurrection, making him the first sitting president in South Korea to be arrested.
Currently detained, Yoon is attending impeachment hearings at the Constitutional Court, which will decide if his impeachment will stand.
Should the court uphold the decision, a new election will be required within 60 days to elect a new president.
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A convoy of black SUVs arrived at the court on Tuesday, transporting Yoon to a hearing set to begin at 2:00 pm (0500 GMT).
At previous hearings, Yoon denied ordering military commanders to forcibly remove lawmakers from parliament to prevent them from voting down his decree, a claim that opposition MPs have refuted.
Yoon has argued that his martial law declaration was not a failure, but rather an initiative that βended a bit soonerβ than he anticipated.
During the Tuesday session, former military leaders and a former intelligence official were scheduled to testify as witnesses.
Hong Jang-won, a former deputy director of the National Intelligence Service, told lawmakers that he had been instructed to arrest politicians, which contradicts Yoonβs claim that no such order was given.
Yoon, 64, was indicted in January, with prosecutors accusing him of leading the insurrection.
Facing charges of insurrection, which are not protected by presidential immunity, Yoon could face imprisonment or even the death penalty if convicted.

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