[News Today] YOON TO SKIP IMPEACHMENT HEARING

[LEAD]
The impeachment trial against President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to begin tomorrow. However, contrary to the President's initial stance, his legal team announced he will not attend the first hearing at the Constitutional Court, citing safety concerns.

[REPORT]
President Yoon Suk Yeol's legal team said Sunday that he will skip the Constitutional Court's first hearing on the impeachment trial against him, set for Tuesday.

It cited concerns over the president's safety as police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials are attempting to enforce a warrant to detain him.

It said Yoon will appear at the hearings if issues over the president's safety and security are resolved.

By law, Yoon must attend the hearing, but if absent, proceedings can continue without him from the next hearing.

Therefore, Tuesday's session will likely take place without him in attendance and
the court will deliberate the case from the second hearing to be held on Thursday.

Yoon's legal team claimed that investigators will attempt to detain the president if he appears, adding that they are considering asking the court to change the date of the hearing.

Yoon's lawyers had, up until recently, said the president is determined to attend the hearings of the impeachment trial against him.

Yun Gap-geun / President Yoon Suk Yeol's lawyer (Jan. 8)
Yoon remains committed to attending the court hearings.

But as he is known to skip the first hearing over security issues and seeking to change the date, some criticize it as a strategy to postpone the trial.

The Constitutional Court said it has set dates for five hearings based on law and the justices will decide once they receive a request for a date change.