- Title: TIMELINE: South Korea's failed martial law attempt
- Date: 4th December 2024
- Summary: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on December 3 declared martial law in an unannounced late night address broadcast live on YTN television, claiming he would eradicate "shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces." He did not cite any specific threat from the nuclear-armed North, however, instead focusing on his domestic political opponents. Yoon said he had no choice
- Embargoed: 18th December 2024 18:38
- Keywords: South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol march martial law opposition parliament protesters troops unrest vigil
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001459104122024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:South Korea's Constitutional Court is set to hold first oral arguments on Tuesday (January 14) in the trial of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment over his martial law declaration.
Yonhap reported on Sunday (January 12) that Yoon's lawyer said the impeached president will not attend the first hearing on Tuesday.
After being impeached on December 14, Yoon's presidential powers were suspended but he remains in office, retaining his immunity from most charges except insurrection or treason.
The Constitutional Court must decide within 180 days whether to remove him from office or reject the impeachment and restore his powers. If it removes Yoon or he resigns, a presidential election must be held within 60 days.
Opposition Democratic Party lawmaker Jung Chung-rae, the head of parliament's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, is leading the case for removing Yoon.
Yoon's legal counsel include former Constitutional Court spokesperson Bae Bo-yoon and former prosecutor Yoon Kab-keun.
Yoon shocked the country with a late-night announcement on December 3, 2024 that he was imposing martial law to overcome political deadlock and root out "anti-state forces."
Within hours, however, 190 lawmakers had defied the cordons of troops and police and voted against Yoon's order. About six hours after his initial decree, Yoon rescinded it.
A tough political survivor who has become increasingly isolated halfway through his five-year term, Yoon, 64, has been dogged by personal scandals, an unyielding opposition and rifts within his own party.
(Production: Daniel Lim, Liliana Ciobanu, Vitalii Yalahuzian, Hyunyoung Yi)
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