South Korea’s Impeached President Yoon To Skip First Trial Hearing

Due to safety concerns, South Korea’s president Yoon Suk Yeol’s attorney said on Sunday that he would not be present for the first hearing of his impeachment trial’s first hearing next week.

Since being suspended and impeached last month following a brief-lived declaration of martial law that plunged the nation into political chaos, Yoon has been huddled up inside the president’s residence and under the protection of an elite guard force.

Following a tense, hours-long standoff earlier this month, he has refused to meet with prosecutors and investigators, and his presidential guard unit prevented an arrest attempt.

If he doesn’t show up, the Constitutional Court will set up five trial dates, which will start on January 14 through February 4.

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Concerns about safety and potential incidents have arisen. The President won’t be able to attend the trial on January 14 because of that, according to Yoon Kab-keun, an attorney, in a statement sent to AFP.

When safety concerns are resolved, the president is prepared to appear at any time.

His impeachment or his reinstatement will be up for debate in the court.

Separately, Yoon’s infamous martial law declaration is the subject of another arrest attempt being made by investigators looking into his insurrection claims.

His attorneys have stated on numerous occasions that both the new seven-day warrant and the original warrant obtained this week were “unlawful.”

The length of the new warrant has been kept secret by investigators, according to local media reports.

&nbsp, ‘High alert ‘

Since the crisis broke out, rival protesters for and against Yoon have gathered almost daily in Seoul.

Competitive camps planned additional demonstrations on Sunday that would take place on the streets of Seoul and outside Yoon’s residence.

The president’s legal team say his guards remain on “high alert”.

If the arrest of Yoon is successful, he would become the first South Korean president to be detained while in office.

If convicted, he faces prison or even the death penalty.

The next attempt, according to a team of Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) officials and police, could be their last.

Anyone who obstructs their attempt, according to the CIO, could be detained themselves, and police reportedly convened a meeting of the top commanders on Friday to discuss the resumption of the operation.

There must be no bloodshed in any subsequent arrest attempts, according to former Presidential Security Service (PSS) chief Park Chong-jun, who resigned on Friday and was then automatically replaced by a more radical Yoon loyalist.

He was questioned for two days before declining to provide an explanation.

“I am cooperating as diligently as possible with the authorities ‘ investigation”, he told reporters Saturday.

His replacement, acting PSS chief Kim Seong-hun, refused to turn up to a third summons on Saturday claiming he had to protect Yoon, opening him up to possible arrest.

Lee Jin-ha, head of the service’s security and safety division, was questioned on Saturday.

The National Office of Investigation, a police unit, sent a note to high-ranking police officials in Seoul requesting they prepare to mobilise 1, 000 investigators for the fresh attempt, the Yonhap news agency reported.

Yoon’s ruling party’s approval ratings have increased as the crisis progresses.

According to a Gallup survey released on Friday, the People’s Party’s approval rating increased to 34 percent from 24 percent three weeks prior.

Source: Channels TV