South Korea's impeached president tells court he believes in 'liberal democracy'

11:1321/01/2025, Tuesday
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File photo
File photo

Yoon Suk Yeol attends hearing as Constitutional Court trial progresses to decide his fate

South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, who declared a short-lived martial law last month, told the Constitutional Court on Tuesday that he believed in liberal democracy, Yonhap news reported.

"Since coming of age, I have lived with a firm belief in liberal democracy until this very day, and especially during my time in public service," Yoon told the top court, which has up to six months to review his impeachment. He will remain suspended till then.

"As the Constitutional Court is an institution that exists to defend the Constitution, I ask the justices to consider me favorably in various respects," said Yoon, who is the first president to attend the court hearing in person.

Earlier, Yoon's lawyers told the court he had no intention to impose martial law.

The 63-year-old embattled president was impeached by the parliament on Dec. 14, 2024 over his Dec. 3 army rule decree.

He was arrested last week and has been held at a detention center in Uiwang, south of the capital Seoul.

The court on Tuesday held its third hearing session on the impeachment trial to review evidence submitted by the National Assembly. He did not appear in the first two hearings.

The Constitutional Court will next meet on Jan. 23 and Feb. 4.

Hundreds of Yoon's supporters also gathered outside the court premises to show their support, holding up signs that read "Impeachment Invalid."

Police blocked all entrances to the court premises to prevent any violence.

Over the weekend, police detained around 90 of Yoon's supporters over violent disorder at the Seoul Western District Court and the Constitutional Court during protests against his formal arrest.

Yoon is the country's first sitting president to be formally arrested after a Seoul court issued a warrant on Sunday to detain him for an extended period.

#Martial Law
#South Korea
#Yoon Suk Yeol