Synopsis
On February 19, the Constitutional Court of South Korea will hold the first official hearing regarding the impeachment trial of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, following his impeachment by the National Assembly over allegations related to a martial law declaration.Key Takeaways
- First hearing scheduled for February 19.
- Impeachment by National Assembly took place on December 27.
- Han Duck-soo is accused of aiding in President Yoon's insurrection.
- Legal representatives must submit documents by February 13.
- Focus on whether Han violated the Constitution.
Seoul, Feb 5 (NationPress) The Constitutional Court of South Korea announced on Wednesday that it will conduct the initial formal hearing for Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's impeachment trial on February 19.
During a preparatory session at the court, Chief Justice Kim Hyung-du revealed this decision and requested that the legal teams representing both Han and the National Assembly provide essential documents and evidence by February 13.
The impeachment of Han was initiated by the opposition-led Assembly on December 27 after he declined to appoint supplementary justices to the Constitutional Court prior to its deliberation of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment related to his December 3 martial law declaration.
Furthermore, the impeachment motion against Han included accusations of either conspiring with or facilitating an insurrection due to the brief enforcement of martial law.
It is anticipated that the court will concentrate exclusively on whether the former prime minister breached the Constitution by allegedly assisting Yoon in his purported insurrection attempt, as reported by Yonhap News Agency, without delving into potential infractions of criminal law.
Han has urged the court to expedite the proceedings, emphasizing that speed and caution are vital in any impeachment involving an acting president.
The inaugural hearing is set to commence at 2 p.m. on February 19.
Previously, on January 4, Yoon Suk Yeol asserted that no real actions had taken place concerning his martial law decree, denying claims that he instructed military leaders to forcibly remove lawmakers from parliament to prevent them from obstructing its enactment.
Yoon made this assertion while participating in the fifth formal session of his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul.
The National Assembly had voted to impeach Yoon due to his surprising, although brief, declaration of martial law on December 3. He has been indicted on charges of leading an insurrection and is currently under arrest.
Additionally, Yoon is accused of dispatching military forces to the National Assembly to inhibit lawmakers from voting against the martial law declaration and allegedly planning to detain significant political figures.
