Yoon Suk-yeol’s Impeachment Trial Sees Legal Tensions and Evidence Disputes

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol did not attend the ninth hearing of his impeachment trial this week. Instead, after arriving at the Constitutional Court, he left for the Seoul Detention Center following discussions with his legal team. His legal representatives explained that the hearing was intended to summarize the current situation while enabling both sides to present their arguments, a process that did not necessitate his direct involvement.

At the hearing, each side was allotted two hours to present their arguments along with key pieces of evidence. The National Assembly’s legal team, acting with prosecutorial authority, introduced excerpts from the interrogation of Cho Ji-ho—the commissioner general of the National Police Agency. According to documents, Cho indicated that Yoon had reportedly instructed the police to detain National Assembly members entering the building after the martial law declaration. Additional evidence, including records from the investigation into the martial law decree and testimonies from Cabinet members present at an earlier meeting convened by Yoon, was also presented.

In response, Yoon’s legal representative, Cho Dae-hyun, argued that relying on testimony from individuals who had not appeared in court violated legal standards because their credibility could not be tested through cross-examination. He requested that such evidence be excluded from review. Yoon’s legal team further refuted claims that the president had ordered lawmakers’ detention, asserting that the martial law declaration was a necessary measure under the circumstances.

The trial, which has been ongoing since January following the martial law declaration in December, continues to stir controversy. Critics like interim leader Kwon Young-se of the ruling People Power Party have voiced concerns about the Constitutional Court’s handling of the case, suggesting that the court is drawing conclusions from an insufficient number of witness testimonies while a larger pool of individuals had been questioned. Despite a request from Yoon to postpone the final hearing due to a scheduling conflict with his criminal trial on insurrection charges, the court has maintained its timeline.

Anticipation builds as additional high-profile testimonies are expected in the coming hearing, with figures such as an impeached prime minister and senior law enforcement officials set to appear. Once all evidence is examined and all witnesses have testified, final statements from both sides will be heard. The outcome, expected next month, is highly significant in a case that has polarized the South Korean public, with a recent survey indicating wide support for impeachment amidst debates over the legitimacy and consequences of the martial law declaration.