The Constitutional Court decided to hold the 10th hearing in the impeachment case of President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 20th. Previously, eight hearings had been held, and a ninth was scheduled for the 18th, marking yet another addition. During the 10th hearing, the testimony of Han Duck-soo, Prime Minister, Hong Jang-won, former Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service, and Jo Ji-ho, Chief of the Korean National Police Agency, requested by President Yoon's side, will be conducted.
On the 14th, the Constitutional Court announced this after all the constitutional justices gathered for a meeting and notified the press.
Earlier, the Constitutional Court designated the impeachment case hearings of President Yoon only until the 8th (on the 13th) and did not set additional dates. The request for testimony from Han Duck-soo, Prime Minister, and others from President Yoon's side was also rejected.
In response, President Yoon's side obtained the floor the previous day, stating, "The Constitutional Court is proceeding with the trial while violating clear provisions, including the Constitutional Court Act, and has predetermined a speedy process like running while fixing the conclusion and ruling time, continuing an unlawful trial. If the current proceedings continue, the legal team will have no choice but to make a 'serious decision.'" The Constitutional Court stated at the end of the hearing that it would hold the 9th hearing on the 18th at 2 p.m.
President Yoon's side plans to summon Prime Minister Han to prove their claim that President Yoon declared a state of emergency on Dec. 3 due to legislative excesses by the opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, and misuse of impeachment that interfered with governance.
Regarding former Deputy Director Hong, the stance is to ask once again about the statements related to the so-called arrest team list. Former Deputy Director Hong stated that on the day of the emergency declaration at 11:06 p.m., former Counterintelligence Commander Yeo In-hyeong read out the arrest team list during a phone call, and he wrote it down in front of the National Intelligence Service director's residence. In response, the previous day, National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong claimed that "this statement is false."
Jo Ji-ho, Chief of the Korean National Police Agency, was previously requested as a witness by the representatives of the National Assembly, and the Constitutional Court accepted this. The court had scheduled the testimony of Chief Jo the previous day; however, he did not attend due to medical treatment for his illness. President Yoon's side emphasized the importance of Chief Jo's testimony, as former Seoul Chief Kim Bong-sik stated during the witness testimony, "President Yoon has never instructed to arrest members of the National Assembly," and therefore requested him as a witness.