South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in court on Tuesday for a critical hearing that will determine whether he is officially removed from office following his controversial declaration of martial law.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, sent shockwaves through the nation when he imposed martial law on December 3, suspending civilian rule and deploying soldiers to parliament. His move, however, was swiftly overturned within six hours, as lawmakers defied armed troops and voted to strike down the decree. Shortly after, the opposition-led parliament impeached him.
In addition to the impeachment proceedings, Yoon was arrested in a dramatic pre-dawn raid in mid-January on insurrection charges, making him the first sitting South Korean president to be detained. He remains in custody while attending impeachment hearings at the Constitutional Court, which will decide his political fate.
If the court upholds the impeachment, South Korea must hold a presidential election within 60 days to replace him.
A motorcade of black SUVs transported Yoon to the courthouse on Tuesday for a session scheduled to begin at 2:00 pm (0500 GMT).
During previous hearings, Yoon denied allegations that he ordered military commanders to forcibly remove lawmakers from parliament to prevent them from rejecting his martial law decree. Opposition MPs have refuted his claims. He also insisted that the failed takeover was not a “failed martial law” but rather one that “ended sooner” than he had anticipated.
Tuesday’s hearing featured testimonies from two former military commanders and an ex-intelligence official. Among them was Hong Jang-won, a former deputy director of the National Intelligence Service, who testified that he had been ordered to arrest politicians—a statement that directly contradicts Yoon’s defense.
Yoon, 64, was formally indicted in January, with prosecutors branding him the “ringleader of the insurrection.” He now faces a separate criminal trial, as insurrection is not covered by presidential immunity. If convicted, he could face severe legal consequences, including a prison sentence or even the death penalty.