Yoon Suk Yeol received court summons this Monday to give testimony for his unsuccessful attempt to impose a self-coup; From now on, the Constitutional Court has six months to decide whether or not to confirm Yoon’s impeachment
The president removed from office Yoon Suk Yeol, rejected this Monday (16) court subpoenas to give testimony in the case he faces for his unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law, which cost him suspension from office. Yoon, defeated in an impeachment vote by Parliament last Saturday, faces two judicial investigations on charges of “insurrection”, one by the Prosecutor’s Office and the other by a joint team of police, Ministry of Defense and prosecutors from the anti-corruption unit. Yoon, 63, was suspended on Saturday by the South Korean Parliament for his attempt to declare martial law on December 3, a move blocked hours later by the National Assembly.
Now, the Constitutional Court has six months to decide whether or not to confirm Yoon’s impeachment. The court began proceedings this Monday and scheduled a preliminary hearing for December 27. If the dismissal is confirmed, the country will have new elections within two months. Yoon’s decision, which sent the Army to Parliament to try to prevent a session of deputies, generated a deep political crisis and provoked demonstrations that brought together thousands of people in South Korea, a recent democracy with a traumatic past of dictatorships. If found guilty by the courts, Yoon – who is banned from leaving the country – and his top advisers face the risk of life in prison or even the death penalty. Prosecutors sent a second summons to Yoon on Monday to question him in the case for “insurrection” and abuse of power, after the conservative politician did not appear at the first summons.
The joint investigation unit also asked the ousted president to appear on Wednesday for questioning, but his office rejected the subpoena, Yonhap news agency reported. Investigators could seek an arrest warrant if he continues to refuse to appear. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung called on the Constitutional Court to “proceed with the impeachment process quickly.” Lee, who heads the Democratic Party, said this is “the only way to minimize national unrest and alleviate the suffering of the population.” After Yoon’s removal, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo took over as interim president and promised to exercise “a stable government”.
“Head of a Rebellion”
The leader of the ruling People’s Power Party (PPP), Han Dong-hoon, announced his resignation from office and apologized to the people for the “emergency martial law incident.” Police announced on Sunday the arrests of the director of the Defense Intelligence Command and his predecessor in the position, both in connection with the “insurrection” investigation, Yonhap news agency reported. Prosecutors also requested an arrest warrant for the head of the Army’s Special Warfare Command, Kwak Jong-keun, according to Yonhap. Kwak is accused of sending special forces troops to Parliament during the attempt to introduce martial law, triggering a clash between the soldiers and legislative staff. The South Korean Parliament approved Yoon’s impeachment on Saturday with the votes of 204 of the 300 deputies of the National Assembly, thanks to government parliamentarians who voted alongside the opposition (the opposition has 192 deputies and 200 votes were needed for dismissal).
At least 200,000 protesters, according to the police, gathered in front of Parliament, despite the subzero temperature, to await the result and greatly celebrated the president’s removal. Yoon said on Saturday, in a speech shown on television, that he would take “a step aside” and called for an end to the “politics of excess and confrontation”. The head of US diplomacy, Antony Blinken, said on Sunday that the dismissal demonstrates South Korea’s “democratic resilience”. President Joe Biden called interim President Han to express that the alliance between the two countries “will continue to be the axis of peace and prosperity in the region”. The North Korean state agency KCNA on Monday named Yoon as “the head of a rebellion” and said his fate was in the hands of the “puppet Constitutional Court” of South Korea’s main ally, the United States. Yoon initially defended martial law as a way to protect the country from “threats” from the communist regime in North Korea, as part of a dispute with the opposition over the budget.
*With information from AFP
Posted by Victor Oliveira
