The Constitutional Court adjourned the opening session of the impeachment trial of suspended President Yoon Suk-yeol within minutes 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 tomorrow and if Yoon also does not attend, the trial proceedings will go ahead with his legal team representing him, acting chief justice Moon Hyung-bae said.
Outside the court, one of Yoon’s lawyers, Yoon Kab-keun, said the president would decide whether to go to the court in person tomorrow after discussions on his defence 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.
“A legitimate warrant must exist, and ... it must be legally presented and executed,” which does not mean “jumping fences or damaging property without presenting a warrant”, his lawyer Kab-keun said.
Yoon’s declaration of martial law on Dec 3 that was withdrawn after about six hours has plunged one of Asia’s most vibrant democracies into a period of unprecedented political turbulence.
His chief of staff Chung Jin-suk said yesterday that Yoon’s office can consult with investigating authorities in order to avoid a clash during the execution of the arrest warrant against Yoon.
Yoon could go to a third location outside of his fortified residence, or a visit to his home could be arranged so that investigating authorities could question Yoon, Chung said.
Investigating authorities, including the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and the police, have received a reissued arrest warrant from a South Korean court after their first attempt to detain Yoon for questioning failed after a stand-off with presidential security officers earlier this month.
CIO, the police and Presidential Security Service (PSS) met yesterday to discuss the execution of the latest arrest warrant, investigating authorities said in a statement.
At the meeting, the police and CIO asked the PSS for cooperation in executing the warrant peacefully and safely, and were awaiting a response. — Reuters
