Yoon to skip impeachment hearing

[Anchor]

The first hearing date for President Yoon's impeachment trial is just one day away.

However, President Yoon's side has already expressed their intention not to attend tomorrow (1.14), making it likely that the first trial will be postponed.

Reporter Jeong Sae-bae reports.

[Report]

President Yoon Suk Yeol's side has stated that they will not attend the first hearing, citing issues with the execution of arrest warrants by the anti-corruption agency and the police.

Today (1.13), they further claimed that the Corruption Investigation Office is attempting to arrest them to prevent them from making a statement in the impeachment trial.

[Seok Dong-hyun/President Yoon's Lawyer: "Detaining President Yoon poses a serious obstacle to the fairness of the impeachment trial, which the public is all curious about...."]

While the parties involved in the impeachment trial are required to attend the hearing, it is not mandatory.

If they do not attend, a new date will be set, so it is expected that the trial will conclude immediately after confirming President Yoon's absence at the first hearing tomorrow.

However, the Constitutional Court plans to proceed with the hearings starting from the second hearing scheduled for the 16th, regardless of President Yoon's attendance.

Key issues in the impeachment trial, such as the declaration of martial law, the announcement of Proclamation No. 1, the obstruction of National Assembly activities using military and police forces, and the search of the National Election Commission without warrant, will be addressed in earnest from this point onward.

Additionally, disputes surrounding the withdrawal of the charge of insurrection in the impeachment grounds are expected to continue.

The impeachment trial for President Yoon is scheduled to have a total of five hearings by early next month, with all eight judges in attendance.

The representatives from the National Assembly submitted a list of five primary witnesses today in advance.

Meanwhile, President Yoon's side has filed a request for the recusal of Justice Jeong Gye-seon, citing that her husband is working with the GognGam Human Rights Law Foundation, where lawyer Kim Yi-soo, who is a co-representative of the National Assembly's impeachment prosecution team, serves as a corporate director.

The Constitutional Court is scheduled to hold a judges' meeting tomorrow morning to discuss the related matters.

This is KBS News, Jeong Sae-bae.