Yoon Suk Yeol's Impeachment Over Martial Law Crisis: A Legal Battle Ahead

Dec 27, 2024 Komal Das

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's legal team will attend court Friday for hearings on his impeachment over a brief martial law imposition

[{"selector":"#anim-969bbc3e-1217-478c-a015-521bf3bf2726","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3a2de720-c5a9-44fb-8b52-c51c4b9e17e1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6447d2b2-ecbe-4904-a850-fd8d146f0874","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -363.60616%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The court has 180 days to decide on Yoon's impeachment, with a new election to be held within 60 days if removed

[{"selector":"#anim-1c006ff8-e363-4bdd-a976-aece5a0aa8fd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5d600853-4edd-4e7e-9e94-c5844e132e33","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9878f78c-83b7-4ee9-a12d-65f4a85b8195","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -426.09054%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Yoon's legal team, including a former prosecutor and court spokesperson, will attend the hearing but couldn't be reached for comment. Yoon is not required to attend

[{"selector":"#anim-2a70e53c-57ac-4cf6-a759-aff328a676f5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-02e11718-98b8-4545-a022-3a6727b3aa71","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c67e6ea8-47a6-41ae-abc3-a706fb3a8d46","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -322.83954%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Yoon's sudden martial law decree shocked the nation and allies, including the US and Europe, who saw him as a key partner in countering China, Russia, and North Korea

[{"selector":"#anim-f856a549-9095-436a-89ed-defef8275fc5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5d537d66-5754-45e0-8ec1-9e62c0002044","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c6d5291c-0dde-432b-828c-e879f77d19bd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -322.83954%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The crisis deepened as the opposition vowed to impeach acting president Han Duck-soo over his rejection of appointing three constitutional court justices

[{"selector":"#anim-06c36efe-32c7-4804-a0e3-9718a1b57431","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-407aedd8-c9ca-428e-80e7-c367824085c8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f186bfc6-cdd0-4dce-a653-b6864635088d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -322.83954%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Parliament will vote Friday on impeaching Han over disputes with the prime minister and calls for a presidential investigation

[{"selector":"#anim-a7de53c7-4baf-4613-a5ec-fafbfa85c864","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-061ed622-f5bb-4e33-be5f-a4926f7840e4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1c9b4240-c634-44e6-8660-5194b7a028e4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -364.20495%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

On Thursday, Han stated that appointing the justices without bipartisan agreement was beyond his remit as caretaker president

[{"selector":"#anim-f00b7308-f563-486e-a5bf-fdcaaed99c3e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5e3812e2-2408-49b1-a86c-caddd02a79a6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ef340339-46b3-4b4d-b1f1-57ea857eac96","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -364.20495%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Yoon defied court requests to submit documents and attend summons over his martial law declaration, facing criticism from some party members

[{"selector":"#anim-26fe59fd-6f5b-49e4-b222-a66cecf12910","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-43ec9792-e661-48b6-996a-b7df2055ec3d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-92bca032-7c04-4ca4-98fe-2191c6b873e3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -364.20495%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Read More The Annual Threat: Why Wildfires Strike Los Angeles Every Year Mystical Blooms: Black Flowers That Thrive in Winter Blue Origin or SpaceX? Bezos on Musk’s Role in Trump’s Rise Atishi to File Nomination for Delhi Assembly Polls from Kalkaji Seat