SEOUL, February 26 ------ South Korea's expelled President Yoon Suk Yeol faced his final impeachment hearing before judges decide whether to formally remove him from office over his disastrous martial law declaration. Yoon was not present for the start of proceedings, the last before the Constitutional Court's eight judges go behind closed doors to decide whether to uphold his December impeachment.
Yoon's short-lived suspension of civilian rule plunged democratic South Korea into political turmoil, and he was removed from office by parliament in December. The 64-year-old has been behind bars since he was arrested last month on charges of insurrection, for which he could be sentenced to life in prison or even face the death penalty. After weeks of fraught impeachment hearings at Seoul's Constitutional Court, Tuesday's court session will be Yoon's last before the eight judges go behind closed doors to decide his fate.
The ousted president is expected to deliver a closing argument in his defense, with representatives of parliament given time to present the case for his removal. A verdict is widely expected in mid-March. Outside the court, pro-Yoon protesters chanted "Drop impeachment!" Some held signs denouncing the Chinese Communist Party and North Korea — which some of Yoon's supporters have accused, without evidence, of interfering in recent South Korean elections to the benefit of the opposition. Others held signs saying "Stop the Steal," echoing US President Donald Trump's false claims of voter fraud when he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden.
Previously impeached presidents Park Geun-hye and Roh Moo-hyun had to wait 11 and 14 days, respectively, to learn their fates. If Yoon is removed from office, the country must hold a fresh presidential election within 60 days. Much of Yoon's impeachment trial has centered on whether he violated the constitution by declaring martial law, which is reserved for national emergencies or times of war. The opposition has accused the suspended president of taking the extraordinary measure without proper justification.
'Legislative dictatorship'
Yoon's lawyer Kim Hong-il last week insisted that "the declaration of martial law was not intended to paralyze the state." Instead, he said, it was meant to "alert the public to the national crisis caused by the legislative dictatorship of the dominant opposition party, which had crippled the administration." Yoon's lawyers have also argued that his martial law declaration was necessary to investigate allegations of electoral fraud in last year's parliamentary elections. Those unsubstantiated claims have been echoed by Yoon's supporters on the streets, many holding signs saying "Stop the Steal," echoing Donald Trump's false claims of voter fraud when he lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden. A survey by polling company Realmeter released Monday said 52 percent support Yoon's formal removal from office. But a Gallup poll, released last week, showed 60 percent in favor and 34 percent against his impeachment.
Source: manilatimes.net
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