South Korean court begins impeachment process against Yoon Suk Yeol

South Korea’s constitutional court has begun impeachment proceedings for the removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was suspended for declaring martial law and plunging his country into political turmoil.

MPs voted to impeach Yoon last Saturday, after his actions sparked widespread protests calling for his resignation.

The court now has six months to decide whether to remove Yoon or reinstate him.

Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) has been dealing with the fallout ever since, and its leader announced his resignation on Monday.

While public hearings for Yoon’s impeachment trial could last months, the court is under pressure to decide quickly and end political uncertainty. Protesters have vowed to continue calling for Yoon’s ouster during the court proceedings.

In the two previous cases in which a South Korean president faced impeachment, the court overturned one decision and upheld the other.

There were doubts about whether the trial could continue in Yoon’s case, as the court currently only has six judges out of nine. Three recently retired and have not yet been replaced.

But the court said Monday it could hold Yoon’s trial with just six judges and set a preliminary hearing date for Dec. 27.

If the court confirms impeachment in Yoon’s case, the country will have to hold new presidential elections within 60 days. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo serves as acting president.

It is unclear whether Yoon will take the stand during the court hearings.

He ignored a summons to meet with prosecutors in Seoul on Sunday and will be ordered to be questioned again. If you don’t show up this week, police could arrest you.

Yoon has defended his decision to impose martial law and after his impeachment he returned to He said he would fight until the end.

Minutes after the constitutional court met on Monday morning, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon announced his resignation.

“I sincerely apologize to all the people who are suffering from this emergency situation,” Han said at a televised news conference.

Han has faced growing calls for his resignation, especially from his party’s large pro-Yoon faction, following the president’s impeachment.

Initially, Han had tried to organize an orderly exit for Yoon. But when it became clear that Yoon wasn’t going to back down, Han did an about-face and called for his impeachment, saying it was the only way to remove him from office.

On Saturday, 12 PPP lawmakers are believed to have voted in favor of impeachment, allowing the motion to pass. But most other PPP lawmakers voted against Yoon’s impeachment.

All five members of the PPP Supreme Council said after the vote that they would resign, which would automatically dissolve the party leadership.

As the Supreme Council has been “destroyed,” Han said, it was now “impossible” to fulfill his duties as party chief.

“Although it pains me to think of my heartbroken fans, I have no regrets,” Han said, referring to his decision to seek Yoon’s impeachment.