Seoul, Feb 13 (IANS): South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday attended what is likely the final hearing of his impeachment trial over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December.
Yoon and other witnesses, including National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong, appeared for the eighth formal hearing of the trial at the Constitutional Court in central Seoul, a month after the first session took place on January 14.
Thursday's hearing took place as the court has yet to schedule additional dates for the trial's oral arguments, raising the possibility that they could end on the day.
Should oral arguments conclude Thursday, a final decision on whether to uphold Yoon's impeachment or reinstate him is expected to be made in early March.
The court can still schedule one or two more hearing dates if deemed necessary, but it has so far said that nothing has been decided over additional hearings.
If additional hearings are scheduled, the court is expected to reach a decision by mid-March, Yonhap news agency reported.
In the impeachment trials of former Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye, the court announced its decisions about two weeks after oral arguments ended.
Earlier on February 11, six opposition parties proposed a special counsel bill to investigate allegations against impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's influence-peddling scandal linked to the parliamentary by-elections in 2022.
The scandal involved allegations that Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed power broker, took approximately 76 million won ($54,400) from former ruling party lawmaker Rep. Kim Young-sun in exchange for his help in getting her nominated for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections.
Myung allegedly won Kim Young-sun's nomination in exchange for conducting public opinion polls favourable to Yoon ahead of the 2022 presidential election.
The National Assembly had voted to impeach Yoon over his shocking, albeit short-lived, imposition of martial law on December 3. He was indicted on charges of leading an insurrection and had been arrested.
Yoon was also alleged to have sent military troops to the National Assembly to prevent lawmakers from voting down the martial law declaration and to have planned to arrest key political figures.