Seoul: The Constitutional Court announced it will hold an additional hearing for President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial next week. This decision marks the ninth formal hearing in the ongoing proceedings, scheduled for 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Both Yoon’s defense team and the National Assembly representatives will present their arguments, each allocated two hours.
According to Yonhap News Agency, acting court President Moon Hyung-bae stated during the eighth hearing that the court will “examine evidence that was adopted but not examined today.” However, Moon did not specify if more hearings would be necessary after the ninth session or when the trial might conclude.
Yoon’s defense team seeks the testimony of six additional witnesses, including Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho. The justices are set to meet on Friday to decide on the request for these witnesses. Should they be called, it could extend the hearings and delay the court’s verdict on President Yoon’s impeachment to mid-March. If not, a ruling might be expected by early March.
The impeachment proceedings commenced in December as the court reviews the National Assembly’s decision to impeach President Yoon following his brief imposition of martial law on December 3.