President Yoon Suk Yeol will deliver his closing statement on Tuesday, before constitutional court judges reviewing his impeachment, which was sparked by his brief declaration of martial law in South Korea last December.

This public hearing, the final one before a decision, will take place at 2 p.m. local time (0500 GMT). Jung Chung-rae, head of the Parliament’s Judiciary Committee, is also scheduled to present a closing statement.

Upon finalizing the hearings, the court is expected to deliver a verdict in mid-March. Should Yoon be impeached, South Korea will need to elect a new president within a 60-day timeframe.

Yoon, who faces parallel criminal charges related to the martial law declaration, is the first South Korean president to face a criminal trial while in office. This trial is expected to continue beyond the impeachment proceedings.

In his defense, Yoon argues that he did not intend to introduce full military rule but rather sought to warn against alleged abuse of parliamentary power by the opposition. He further contended no harm was done as his orders were never enacted.

Contrastingly, the South Korean parliament’s position is that Yoon’s judgment was compromised and could repeat such actions if reinstated.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/south-korea-yoon-faces-final-impeachment-hearing/a-71737075?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf