The embattled leader fails to appear for questioning over the short-lived declaration of martial law for the second time in a week.
Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has defied a summons to appear for questioning over his short-lived declaration of martial law for the second time in a week.
Yoon failed to show up for questioning on suspicion of insurrection and abuse of power after being ordered to report at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Corruption Investigation Bureau for Senior Officials in Gwacheon, south of Seoul.
Yoon did not respond to a separate summons from prosecutors on Dec. 15.
Yoon, who was the country’s top prosecutor before entering politics, has been suspended from office since December 14. when the National Assembly voted for his dismissal by 204 votes to 85.
Korea’s Constitutional Court is currently deliberating whether to uphold the petition and remove Yoon from office, a move that must be approved by at least six of the nine judges.
The court has scheduled its first public hearing on the issue for Dec. 27 and could take up to six months to issue its decision.
New elections would be held within two months if Yoon’s impeachment is confirmed.
Yoon’s brief declaration of martial law on Dec. 4 stunned South Korea, plunging the country into its worst political crisis in decades.
Yoon, who said the statement was aimed at combating “anti-state forces,” defended his actions as legal and vowed to “fairly confront” investigations against him.