Impeachment trial continues

[Anchor]

Today (1.16), the second hearing of President Yoon's impeachment trial was held as scheduled.

The National Assembly argued that President Yoon has no will to uphold the Constitution and demanded his removal from office.

On the other hand, President Yoon's side countered that the opposition party pushed for impeachment by labeling a peaceful martial law as a rebellion.

This is a report by reporter Lee Ho-jun.

[Report]

The impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk Yeol has officially begun.

The National Assembly's impeachment prosecution team requested the Constitutional Court to remove President Yoon, stating that the illegal declaration of emergency martial law significantly threatened public safety.

They claimed that both the content and procedures of the martial law violated the Constitution and laws, and that President Yoon has no will to uphold the Constitution.

[Jung Chung-rae/National Assembly Impeachment Prosecution Team Leader: "There is not even a shred of will to uphold the Constitution. If he returns to the presidency, he continues to engage in actions and words that are sufficient to raise suspicions that he might commit a second emergency martial law."]

In contrast, President Yoon's side argued that the declaration of martial law was an "inevitable choice to establish the foundations of democracy."

They spent considerable time explaining the claims related to "election fraud," asserting that the opposition party initiated the impeachment to seize power.

[Cho Dae-hyun/Attorney for President Yoon: "The opposition party, which holds a majority in the National Assembly, did not act for the country and the people, but mobilized all means and methods to seize power."]

President Yoon's side requested to postpone the second hearing of the impeachment trial due to the investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, but the Constitutional Court stated that there were "no grounds for change" and held the trial as scheduled.

In addition to the current schedule for five hearings, the Constitutional Court has designated three additional dates.

Six witnesses have been selected for the impeachment trial, including former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, Kwak Jong-geun, Lee Jin-woo, Commander Yeo In-hyung, former National Intelligence Service Deputy Director Hong Jang-won, and Police Chief Cho Ji-ho.

President Yoon's side protested that the schedule of hearings held twice a week was excessive, but the court stated that it had gone through sufficient discussions and would not change it.

Additionally, the Constitutional Court has adopted CCTV footage from the National Assembly and the National Election Commission from the martial law period as evidence. Following a request from President Yoon's side, which has raised allegations of election fraud, a fact-finding investigation will also be conducted on the list of Chinese nationals who stayed at the Election Training Center in 2020.

This is KBS News, Lee Ho-jun.