The Constitutional Court announced on the 17th that it will begin hearings on the impeachment case of Administrator Jo Ji-ho on July 1. This comes 202 days after Jo was impeached on December 12 last year, related to the Dec. 3 martial law.
On the same day, the Constitutional Court stated in a media notice that it has referred the case of Jo's impeachment to the preparatory procedure. Justices Jeong Jeong-mi and Jo Han-chang have been designated as the presiding justices in charge of the preparatory procedure. The first hearing date for this case will be held at 3 p.m. on July 1 at the Constitutional Court's small trial chamber.
Earlier, the National Assembly passed the impeachment motion against Administrator Jo on December 12 last year. The Democratic Party of Korea and others included in the impeachment motion that Jo violated the constitutional right to demand the lifting of martial law by seriously obstructing members of the National Assembly from participating in gatherings to lift the martial law by sending police during former President Yoon Suk-yeol's martial law. It is the first time in constitutional history that a police chief has been impeached.
Since then, Administrator Jo's duties have been suspended for over six months. Jo is also under indictment for charges related to martial law and is undergoing a criminal trial at the Seoul Central District Court.