Court begins trial in Yoon's absence

SEOUL — South Korea's Constitutional Court opened the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday over his failed martial law bid, but quickly adjourned the first hearing after the suspended leader didn't show up.

A lawyer advising Yoon had said the president, who has been holed up in his hillside villa in Seoul for weeks, would not attend, saying a bid by authorities to detain him prevented Yoon from expressing his position at the trial.

The next trial session is scheduled for Thursday and if Yoon also does not attend, the trial proceedings will go ahead with his legal team representing him, acting chief justice Moon Hyung-bae said.

Outside the court, one of Yoon's lawyers Yoon Kab-keun said the president would decide whether to go to the court in person on Thursday after discussions on his defense strategy.

Additional hearings are already scheduled for Jan 21, 23 and Feb 4.

The court's eight judges will decide whether Yoon's Dec 3 martial law declaration was unconstitutional and whether it was illegal — either of which could prove grounds for upholding his impeachment.

Six of the eight judges must vote in favor of Yoon's impeachment for him to be removed from office.

The court has up to 180 days from Dec 14, when it received the case, to make its ruling.

Yoon also faces a criminal investigation for alleged insurrection, with authorities seeking to execute an arrest warrant after he ignored a summons to appear for questioning.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, the police and the Presidential Security Service met on Tuesday to discuss the execution of the arrest warrant, investigating authorities said in a statement.

The defense ministry said on Tuesday that military forces in charge of presidential security would not be mobilized in relation to Yoon's warrant execution.

Yoon's chief of staff said on Tuesday that Yoon's office can consult with investigating authorities in order to avoid a clash during the execution of the warrant.

Agencies via Xinhua