Conservative justice to lead impeachment trial of South Korean president

The Constitutional Court of South Korea has appointed a justice known for his conservative views to preside over the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The court announced that Justice Cheong Hyung-sik was selected as the presiding judge for the high-profile case. His selection followed a random computer draw, the court confirmed, Caliber.Az reports citing Korean media.

Cheong, appointed by President Yoon in December of the previous year, is one of the three justices named by the president. Under the court's structure, three justices are appointed by the president, three by the Supreme Court chief justice, and three by the National Assembly.

Initially, the court had decided not to disclose the identity of the presiding justice, adhering to its non-disclosure policy. However, the information was later made public. In response to the disclosure, the court issued a statement assuring the public that all justices are involved in the hearings and that the identity of the presiding judge would not influence the speed or direction of the decision-making process.

The first preparatory hearing for the impeachment trial has been scheduled for 2 p.m. on December 27. This session, held under the leadership of Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae, will focus on clarifying the key issues of the case, discussing evidence, and selecting witnesses. The court is currently operating with only six justices, as the replacements for the three retired justices have not yet been appointed.

During the preparatory hearing, investigative records from the prosecution, police, and other authorities will be reviewed as quickly as possible, a court spokesperson said.

Following the submission of the impeachment document by the National Assembly, the court began the trial procedures on Saturday. On Sunday, the justices reviewed the case remotely. The court has notified President Yoon about the case and is requesting his responses. Yoon has reportedly finalized his legal defense team, which will be led by Kim Hong-il, former chair of the Korea Communications Commission.

The Constitutional Court plans to proceed with the impeachment trial efficiently, with the expectation that the final ruling will be issued by the end of April. This timeline is partly due to the planned retirements of two justices, Moon and Lee Mi-son, whose terms end on April 18. The ruling on former President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment was issued on March 10, 2017, just days before the retirement of then-acting Chief Justice Lee Jung-mi.

However, there are concerns regarding the three vacant seats on the Constitutional Court, as three of the nine justices’ terms have been vacant since October 17. Both the ruling People Power Party and opposition parties have nominated candidates for the National Assembly’s share of justices, and it is expected that the confirmation process will be completed by late December, filling the vacant positions.

If at least six justices vote in favor of removing President Yoon, his impeachment will be confirmed. If the vote does not meet this threshold, the case will be dismissed.

The Constitutional Court Act stipulates that an impeachment decision must be made within 180 days of receiving the case, though this timeline is not legally binding. In the past, both the impeachment of former President Roh Moo-hyun, which took 63 days, and that of former President Park Geun-hye, which lasted 91 days, were concluded in less than 180 days.

By Vafa Guliyeva