Wreaths sent by supporters of President Yoon Suk Yeol are lined up outside the Constitutional Court expressing their opposition to Yoon's impeachment over his martial law declaration, Seoul, Dec. 22. Yonhap
The Constitutional Court reaffirmed Tuesday that President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial can proceed with just six justices as three vacancies have yet to be filled.
Lee Jin, a court spokesperson, made the remark in response to questions raised by Yoon's legal representative about whether the court should deliberate on Yoon's impeachment with a third of its bench empty.
"Our position is that everything from deliberations to oral arguments is possible even with six people," Lee said when asked by a reporter about the lawyer's remark earlier in the day. "There is no change in plans for the (first) preparatory hearing on Friday."
The National Assembly's impeachment case against Yoon was filed Dec. 14 and the court has 180 days to decide whether to unseat or reinstate the president over his short-lived imposition of martial law early this month.
Yoon has refused to cooperate with the court's preparations for the trial, including an order to submit the minutes of a Cabinet meeting he convened shortly before declaring martial law and the text of the martial law decree issued the same day.
The court said the previous day it will go ahead with the proceedings despite Yoon's refusal to receive various documents sent by the court by considering them served last Friday when they were delivered to his residence.
The justices have scheduled a meeting Thursday to discuss preparations for the trial.
When asked if there are any consequences for Yoon's refusal to submit the required documents or the absence of his legal defense team at Friday's preparatory hearing, Lee said that decision will be up to the justices. (Yonhap)
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