Seoul, December 21 — South Korea’s Constitutional Court announced on Monday that it will proceed with the first pretrial hearing in President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment case as scheduled on Friday.
A court official stated during a televised press conference that the preliminary hearing would take place on December 27, affirming that the impeachment notice was deemed delivered to President Yoon despite his repeated refusals to accept it.
"The delivery was effective as of December 20 when all relevant documents arrived," the official said, urging President Yoon to submit his written answers to the court by Friday.
The presidential security service had previously declined to receive the documents related to the impeachment trial, including requests for Yoon to appear in court and the schedule for pretrial hearings.
The National Assembly passed the impeachment motion against President Yoon on December 14 and delivered it to the Constitutional Court for deliberation, which can take up to 180 days. During this period, President Yoon’s presidential powers are suspended.
President Yoon was named by investigative agencies as a suspect on rebellion charges following his imposition of martial law on the night of December 3, which was revoked by the National Assembly hours later.
The Constitutional Court’s decision to proceed with the pretrial hearing marks a significant development in the Republic of Korea’s political landscape, as the nation grapples with the implications of the impeachment and the suspension of presidential authority.
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Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment pretrial hearing to be held as planned
cgtn.com
