S. Korean president not to attend 1st hearing of impeachment trial for safety concerns

SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol will not attend the first hearing of his impeachment trial, scheduled for Tuesday, for safety concerns, Yoon's defense counsel said Sunday. Yun Gap-geun, Yoon's lawyer, was quoted by multiple media outlets as saying that concerns remained about safety and mishaps as the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and National Office of Investigation (NOI) continued their attempt to execute a warrant to arrest the impeached president. The counsel noted that safety and security issues should be resolved in order for Yoon to appear in the trial, adding that Yoon will be present at any time when the safety issue is resolved. The constitutional court planned to hold the first official hearing of Yoon's impeachment trial on Jan. 14, with the next hearings slated for Jan. 16, 21, 23 and Feb. 4. The impeachment motion against Yoon was passed in the National Assembly on Dec. 14, 2024, and was delivered to the constitutional court to deliberate it for up to 180 days, during which Yoon's presidential power is suspended. Yoon, who was named by investigative agencies as a suspected ringleader on insurrection charge, declared a martial law on the night of Dec. 3 but it was revoked by the National Assembly hours later. Investigators attempted to arrest Yoon in the presidential residence on Jan. 3, but it failed as the presidential security service blocked the execution of the warrant. A Seoul court granted the extension of warrant to apprehend Yoon Tuesday by issuing the second warrant against the impeached president.

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S. Korean president not to attend 1st hearing of impeachment trial for safety concerns