Seoul, Feb 20: Shuttled around Seoul in a prison transport vehicle, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in two different courts on Thursday, contesting his arrest on rebellion charges in one and fighting an effort to remove him from office in the other.
Both cases – one on criminal charges, one an impeachment – are related to his brief imposition of martial law in December.
Security was heightened at the Seoul Central District Court as the motorcade transporting Yoon arrived for a preliminary hearing that involved discussions of witnesses, proposed evidence and other preparations for his criminal trial. The court, which scheduled another preliminary hearing in March, was also reviewing a request by Yoon’s lawyers to revoke his arrest order and release him from custody. Such challenges are rarely successful. The court did not specify when it would make a decision on the request but asked both Yoon’s defence team and the prosecutors to submit further written submissions within 10 days.
Yoon next travelled across the capital to the Constitutional Court, which is nearing a decision on whether to formally remove him from office after was impeached by the National Assembly. During the hearing on Thursday, the court said it will hold final arguments on the case on Feb. 25, which possibly sets up a decision sometime in March. (IANS)
