The suspended president’s lawyer cites worries over “potential incidents” following a failed attempt to arrest him at his home.
South Korea’s suspended president, Yoon Suk Yeol, will not attend the first hearing of his impeachment trial next week due to safety concerns, his lawyer announced.
Yoon has been confined to the presidential residence, under the protection of an elite guard force, since his suspension and impeachment last month, following his brief declaration of martial law that plunged the country into political turmoil. He has refused to meet with prosecutors and investigators, and earlier this month, his presidential guard foiled an attempt to arrest him after a tense, hours-long standoff.
The constitutional court has set five trial dates between January 14 and February 4, and the trial will proceed without him if he does not attend.
“Concerns about safety and potential incidents have arisen. Therefore, the president will not be able to attend the trial on January 14,” said his lawyer Yoon Kab-keun in a statement on Sunday. “The president is willing to appear at any time once safety issues are resolved.” The court will ultimately decide whether to uphold the impeachment or reinstate him to office.
Meanwhile, investigators pursuing charges of insurrection related to his failed martial law declaration are preparing another arrest attempt. If successful, Yoon would become the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. Should he be convicted of insurrection, he could face prison time or even the death penalty.
Yoon’s legal team stated that his security personnel remain on “high alert.” Investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) and the police are preparing for what they describe as a final attempt to arrest him. The CIO has warned that anyone obstructing the operation could face detention, and police have reportedly held meetings to plan the renewed effort.
Park Chong-jun, the former head of Yoon’s presidential guard, who resigned on Friday and was replaced by a more hardline Yoon loyalist, urged that no bloodshed occur during the next arrest attempt.
The National Office of Investigation, a police unit, has reportedly requested the mobilization of 1,000 investigators for the renewed operation, according to Yonhap news agency.
Protests both in support of and against Yoon have been a daily occurrence in Seoul since the political crisis began.
Amid the turmoil, Yoon’s ruling party has seen a boost in approval ratings. A recent Gallup survey released on Friday revealed that the People Power Party’s approval rating has risen to 34%, up from 24% just three weeks ago.
