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South Korea’s Constitutional Court has begun an impeachment trial against President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was removed from office for declaring martial law and dragging the country into political turmoil.
Lawmakers voted to impeach Yun last Saturday after his actions sparked widespread protests and calls for his resignation.
The court now has six months to decide whether to suspend Yun or reinstate him.
Yun’s ruling People’s Power Party (PPP) has been struggling with the fallout ever since, with its leader announcing his resignation on Monday.
While public hearings in Yun’s impeachment case could take months, the court is under pressure to make a quick decision and end the political uncertainty. The protesters vowed to continue their calls for Yun’s removal during the court proceedings.
In the previous two cases, the president of South Korea was threatened with impeachment, the court overturned one decision and upheld the other.
Observers say Yun’s trial will be complicated by the fact that the court has only six out of nine judges, as three have recently retired and have yet to be replaced.
If the court upholds Yun’s impeachment, the country must hold new presidential elections within 60 days. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han Dak-soo is acting as president.
It is not yet clear whether Yoon will appear in court.
He ignored a summons to meet with prosecutors in Seoul on Sunday and is scheduled to be sent back for questioning. If he does not come forward this week, the police may arrest him.
Yun defended his decision to impose martial law, and after his impeachment, he reiterated that he would fight to the end.
Minutes after the Constitutional Court’s session on Monday morning, PNP leader Han Dong-hun announced his resignation.
Getty Images“I sincerely apologize to all the people affected by this emergency,” Khan said at a televised news conference.
After the president’s impeachment, Khan faced increasing calls for him to step down, especially from a large faction of his party that supports Yun.
Han initially tried to arrange an orderly exit for Yoon. But after demonstrative speech Yoon, Han turned around and called for impeachment, saying it was the only way to stop him.
On Saturday, 12 PPP lawmakers voted for impeachment, allowing it to pass. But most other PPP lawmakers voted against Yun’s impeachment.
All five members of the Supreme Council of the PPP announced after the vote that they would resign, which would automatically lead to the dissolution of the party leadership.
Since the Supreme Council was “destroyed”, Khan is now “impossible” to fulfill his duties as party leader.
“Although it pains me to think of my heartbroken fans, I have no regrets,” Khan said, referring to his decision to call for Yoon’s impeachment.
