SEOUL: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s legal representatives will attend the first Constitutional Court hearing on Friday (Dec 27) in a trial reviewing his impeachment by parliament over his short-lived imposition of martial law, an adviser to Yoon said.
Yoon had until Thursday defied requests by the court to submit documents as well as summons by investigators in a separate criminal case over his martial law declaration on Dec 3, drawing criticism even from some members of his party.
Two lawyers in Yoon’s legal team are set to attend the court hearing, one a former prosecutor and the other a former spokesman for the Constitutional Court, according to a message to reporters from Seok Dong-hyeon, a lawyer advising Yoon. The two could not be immediately reached for comment.
The unexpected martial law decree and swift political fallout shocked the nation and financial markets, unsettling key allies the United States and Europe which had seen Yoon as a staunch partner in global efforts to counter China, Russia and North Korea.
