Camille Naredo

This handout from the South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap taken and released on December 14, 2024 shows President Yoon Suk Yeol giving a public address from his official residence in Seoul. Handout / South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap / AFP

This handout from the South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap taken and released on December 14, 2024 shows President Yoon Suk Yeol giving a public address from his official residence in Seoul. - Yoon on December 14 said he would "step aside" after parliament voted to remove him from office, urging an end to "politics of excess and confrontation". South Korean lawmakers on Saturday impeached Yoon over his failed martial law bid, with the opposition declaring a "victory of the people". (Photo by Handout / South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap / AFP) / - South Korea OUT / - SOUTH KOREA OUT / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE VIA YONHAP" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Article (news)

SOUTH KOREA

Agence France-Presse

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1740465109686AFP__20241214__36QB3BH__v2__Preview__TopshotSkoreaPoliticsUnrest.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="This handout from the South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap taken and released on December 14, 2024 shows President Yoon Suk Yeol giving a public address from his official residence in Seoul. Handout / South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap / AFP"/>This handout from the South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap taken and released on December 14, 2024 shows President Yoon Suk Yeol giving a public address from his official residence in Seoul. Handout / South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap / AFP</div>SEOUL, South Korea-- South Korea&#x27;s ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol was facing his final impeachment hearing on Tuesday before judges decide whether to formally remove him from office over his disastrous martial law declaration.Yoon&#x27;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. His trial began last week.After weeks of fraught impeachment hearings at the Constitutional Court in Seoul, Tuesday&#x27;s court session is his last before the eight judges go behind closed doors to decide his fate.Proceedings began at 2:00 pm (0500 GMT) but Yoon was not present, an AFP journalist in the courtroom said.A number of lawmakers from his ruling People Power Party were in attendance, however.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/2/20/yoon-becomes-south-korea-s-first-sitting-president-to-go-on-criminal-trial-0927">READ: Yoon becomes South Korea&#x27;s first sitting president to go on criminal trial</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/1/27/south-korea-president-s-indictment-what-happens-next-1446">READ: South Korea president&#x27;s indictment -- what happens next?</a></div>In opening remarks, Yoon&#x27;s defense team cited a 2024 US Supreme Court ruling, Donald Trump v. the United States, arguing that the ousted president cannot be punished for &quot;exercising his core constitutional powers&quot;.That ruling &quot;should be considered in the context of impeachment proceedings&quot;, Yoon&#x27;s lawyer Lee Dong-chan said.Yoon is expected to deliver a closing argument in his defence, with representatives of parliament given time to present the case for his removal.Outside the court, pro-Yoon protesters chanted &quot;Drop impeachment!&quot;Some held signs denouncing the Chinese Communist Party and North Korea -- which some of Yoon&#x27;s supporters have accused, without evidence, of interfering in recent South Korean elections to the benefit of the opposition.Others held signs saying &quot;Stop the Steal&quot;, echoing US President Trump&#x27;s false claims of voter fraud when he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden.A verdict is widely expected in mid-March.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.<div>- &#x27;Legislative dictatorship&#x27; -</div>Much of the impeachment trial has centred on whether Yoon 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.Yoon&#x27;s lawyer Kim Hong-il insisted last week that &quot;the declaration of martial law was not intended to paralyse the state&quot;.Instead, he said, it was meant to &quot;alert the public to the national crisis caused by the legislative dictatorship of the dominant opposition party&quot;.Yoon&#x27;s lawyers have also argued that his martial law declaration was necessary to investigate unsubstantiated allegations of electoral fraud in last year&#x27;s parliamentary poll.A survey by polling company Realmeter released on Monday said 52 percent of respondents support Yoon&#x27;s formal removal from office.But a Gallup poll, released last week, showed 60 percent in favour and 34 percent against his impeachment.<div>© Agence France-Presse</div>

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.

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.

South Korea's Yoon faces last impeachment hearing over martial law

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South Korea's Yoon faces last impeachment hearing over martial law

Agence France-Presse,

Kang Jin-kyu

Published Feb 25, 2025 02:33 PM PHT

Read More:

South Korea

Seoul

politics

Yoon Suk Yeol

martial law

impeachment

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