Constitutional Court proceedings in deciding Yoon's impeachment

[Anchor]

Now, let's take a look at the procedures for the impeachment trial going forward.

This is reporter Shin Ji-soo.

[Report]

The moment the impeachment resolution was received by the Constitutional Court, the clock for the impeachment trial has begun to tick.

The case number assigned by the Constitutional Court is '2024-heon-na-8', which means "the 8th impeachment trial case received in 2024."

Next Monday, the Constitutional Court will randomly assign a presiding judge through electronic distribution and hold a judges' meeting to discuss future trial procedures.

They will also request a response statement from President Yoon Suk Yeol regarding the impeachment motion.

Similar to the impeachment process of former President Park Geun-hye, a dedicated organization composed of constitutional researchers will be formed for legal review.

[Lee Jin/Spokesperson for the Constitutional Court: "Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae stated the following: a swift and fair trial will be conducted."]

The impeachment trial will be handled by a full bench of judges, and the hearings will be conducted publicly as a principle.

Even if the party does not attend, the trial can still proceed, and relevant individuals can be summoned as witnesses for questioning and evidence can be examined.

The Constitutional Court must reach a conclusion within 180 days from the date of case receipt, but in the case of presidential impeachment trials, the conclusion may come sooner due to concentrated hearings.

[Lee Hwang-hee/Professor at Sungkyunkwan University Law School: "This case is not that complicated in terms of factual grounds, but there is a significant legal dispute. Therefore, it seems likely to conclude faster than during the time of former President Park Geun-hye."]

Former President Roh Moo-hyun had a 'dismissal' decision after 63 days, while former President Park Geun-hye had a 'confirmation' decision after 91 days.

An impeachment decision requires the approval of more than 6 out of the 9 judges.

If the impeachment is confirmed, President Yoon will be immediately removed from office, and a new presidential election will be held within 60 days. If dismissed, he can return to work immediately.

This is KBS News, Shin Ji-soo.