South Korea begins impeachment trial of suspended president

South Korea's Constitutional Court held its first hearing to decide whether suspended President Yoon Seok-yeol should be removed from office following last month's shocking attempt to impose martial law.

The hearing ended within four minutes due to Yin's absence – his lawyer had earlier said he would not attend for his own safety because there was a warrant for his arrest on rebellion charges.

Yoon was suspended in December after members of his own party voted to support impeachment by the opposition.

However, he will only be formally removed from office if at least six of the eight judges of the Constitutional Court vote in favor of impeachment.

Under Korean law, the court must set a new hearing date before proceeding without his participation.

The next hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

Yoon's lawyers said he would attend the hearing at the “appropriate time” but they challenged the court's “unilateral decision” on the trial date.

On Tuesday, the court rejected a request by lawyers for one of the eight judges to recuse themselves from the proceedings.

Yin has not commented publicly since parliament voted to impeach Yin on Dec. 14, speaking mainly through his lawyer.

On January 3, after a several-hour standoff with Yin's security team, investigators were also preparing to arrest Yin again on suspicion of rebellion.

Yoon is the first sitting president of South Korea to face arrest. A second attempt to detain him could take place as early as this week, local media reported.

The suspended leader has not commented publicly since parliament voted to impeach him on December 14, speaking mainly through his lawyer.

The brief martial law declared by Yoon on December 3 plunged South Korea into political turmoil. He tried to justify the attempt by saying he was protecting the country from “anti-national” forces, but it soon became apparent that it was prompted by his own political troubles.

The following weeks were unprecedented, with the opposition-led parliament voting to impeach Yoon and then-Prime Minister Han Deok-su, who briefly succeeded him as acting president.

The crisis has battered the country's economy, with the South Korean won weakening and global credit rating agencies warning of weakening consumer and business confidence.

Former presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye did not attend the impeachment trials in 2004 and 2017 respectively.

In Parker's case, the first hearing ended after she was absent for nine minutes.

After a two-month review, Roh was reinstated, while Park Geun-hye's impeachment case was upheld.