SEOUL, December 17 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol will "firmly and confidently" defend his position during the public hearing for his impeachment trial, his legal representative said Tuesday.
Yoon faces accusations of rebellion and abuse of power after being suspended from office on Dec. 14 when the National Assembly passed an impeachment bill with 204 votes in favor, 85 against, three invalid votes, and eight abstentions.
The vote for the impeachment motion was sparked by Yoon’s unexpected declaration of martial law at 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 3. He justified the measure as necessary to eradicate "pro-North Korean forces and their anti-government activities," Within three hours, at 1:00 a.m. on Dec. 4, 190 lawmakers unanimously passed a resolution to lift martial law.
Lawyer Seok Dong-hyeon, representing Yoon, confirmed the president’s intention to appear in court. "We don’t know when the public hearing for the impeachment trial will take place, but if it does, the president will, of course, appear and clarify his stance," Seok said.
Seok dismissed the rebellion accusations, asserting that the legal requirements for such charges were not met. "The president did not incite rebellion to seize power, nor were there any elements of violent riots," he said. Instead, Yoon plans to address what he claims is the opposition party’s mismanagement of state affairs and violations of the Constitution.
Yoon’s decision to personally attend the hearing contrasts sharply with former President Park Geun-hye, who was impeached in 2017. Despite repeated requests from the Constitutional Court, Park refused to appear, choosing instead to state her position through letters.
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