Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol skips trial over martial law bid; court proceedings and detention efforts continue amid allegations of treason and insurrection.
South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol refused to attend the first hearing of his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, following his controversial attempt to impose martial law last month. The trial session lasted only four minutes due to Yoon’s absence, according to Yonhap News.
Yoon was required to attend the initial hearing of the five oral sessions mandated by the Constitutional Court. Despite his impeachment by parliament on December 14, Yoon has remained confined to his official residence in Seoul, avoiding investigative summons. The court has up to six months to determine whether to uphold or reject the impeachment decision.
While Yoon’s duties are suspended, an acting president from his cabinet is currently managing state affairs. The next trial hearing is scheduled for Thursday and will proceed even if Yoon continues to refuse attendance.
In a separate development, a joint task force of anti-corruption officials and police has requested the presidential security team and the Defense Ministry to avoid obstructing their renewed efforts to detain Yoon. The former president faces charges of treason and insurrection related to his martial law decree of December 3.
An earlier attempt to detain Yoon on January 3 was thwarted by approximately 200 members of his security detail and Defense Ministry personnel. However, a court has since extended the arrest warrant, and investigators have reaffirmed their commitment to arrest Yoon in compliance with the law.
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