A test to determine the fate of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached after his short-lived attempt to impose martial rules threw the nation into the worst social conflict in years is scheduled to start on January 14 in a North Korean judge.
But, Yoon’s time on the Constitutional Court will likely be cut short because he won’t be present, with more in-depth arguments possibly coming up on Thursday. He has been hunched up in his hillside villa in Seoul.
Within 180 days, the Constitutional Court may decide whether to resign Yoon from business or grant him the presidency.
Yoon also faces a fugitive investigation for allegedly inciting insurrection, with officials attempting to erect an arrest warrant after he disobeyed orders to look for questioning.
One of Asia’s most vivid democracies has been plunged into a period of unprecedented political volatility thanks to Yoon’s declaration of martial law on December 3 that was withdrawn after around six hours.
Yoon’s lawyer, Seok Dong-hyeon, claimed on Monday that the president had been suspended and would not show up at the Constitutional Court on Tuesday because he had been unable to make his statement at the trial due to efforts by authorities to prosecute him.
However, Yoon’s chief of staff stated on Tuesday that the arrest warrant against Yoon’s murder was on hold without causing a conflict between the Yoon’s office and the investigating authorities.
Yoon may arrange for a visit to his house or to a second place outside of his fortified residence to allow investigating authorities to question him, according to national chief of staff Chung Jin-suk in a statement on Tuesday.
Following a stand-off with presidential security officers earlier this month, the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials ( CIO ) issued a re-issued arrest warrant from a South Korean court.