Yoon's legal representatives said the impeachment should be wholly dismissed immediately. - Photo: Reuters
SEOUL: With President Yoon Suk Yeol’s formal impeachment hearing approaching in a week, both the National Assembly’s impeachment committee and Yoon’s legal representatives have intensified their claims over the exclusion of a charge of insurrection.
During the second preparatory hearing held at the Constitutional Court of Korea on Tuesday (Jan 7), the National Assembly’s impeachment committee said it would withdraw the insurrection charge from the grounds of impeachment so that the justices can expedite the trial.
The trial should focus on constitutional violations, rather than delve into specific offences under criminal law, it said.
The related debate has since extended outside the courtroom.
Yoon’s legal representatives released a statement on Jan 7 saying that the impeachment should be wholly dismissed immediately.
“The withdrawal of the insurrection charge is not merely the removal of one of two charges, but constitutes the retraction of nearly 80 per cent of the impeachment resolution’s content,” Yoon’s legal team professed.
According to his team, the impeachment resolution is 40 pages long.
Among 26 pages – excluding a speech given by Yoon and his martial law decree – 21 pages focus on issues related to martial law, the team said, arguing that the withdrawn content accounts for 80 per cent of the resolution.
Accusing the National Assembly’s impeachment committee of “absurd and deceptive manipulation of language aimed at misleading the public”, the team argued that if insurrection under criminal law is not established, the impeachment is invalid.
In contrast, the National Assembly’s impeachment committee told reporters on Jan 7 it would maintain its position.
“The core of the impeachment grounds, as stated in the impeachment resolution, is (Yoon’s) constitutional violations committed as the leader of an insurrection. Not a single word has been withdrawn or altered. We urge the court to fully assess these treasonous actions without omission.”
The committee has been arguing that the series of actions surrounding the declaration of martial law, or the factual circumstances, should still be examined in the impeachment trial.
Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court of Korea said on Jan 7 that regardless of any ongoing dispute over excluding Yoon’s insurrection charge from the trial, the court would maintain to “uphold the constitutional order”.
“Creating new constitutional disputes over the court’s decisions does not align with the will of the sovereign people. We will move forward with our focus solely on the people,” the court’s press officer, Lee Jin, told reporters.
Asked about continued statements from the ruling party questioning the fairness of the impeachment trial, Lee said: “The Constitutional Court was established to safeguard the constitutional order.”
The court has completed two preparatory hearings and plans to hold hearings twice a week, every Tuesday and Thursday, from Jan 14.
The justices will review arguments and responses from both sides and examine submitted opinions and witness selection.
If Yoon intends to appear in person at the first hearing on Jan 14, it is likely that the court will discuss security measures with the Presidential Security Service this week.
Though Yoon has been suspended from his presidential duties since Dec 14, his security and protocol services remain unchanged. - The Korea Herald/ANN
