The process to complete the impeachment of President Yoon by the Constitutional Court will begin on December 27th:

This composite image features the justices of the Constitutional Court who will deliberate on a parliamentary motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol. The justices are seen arriving for work at the court in Seoul on Monday. Clockwise from top left: Cheong Hyung-sik, Moon Hyung-bae, Kim Bok-hyeong, Chung Jung-mi, Lee Mi-sun and Kim Hyung-du. (Yonhap)

The Constitutional Court of Korea announced Monday that it would prioritize President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial, setting the first preparatory hearing for Dec. 27 at 2 p.m.

Lee Jin, director general for the Constitutional Court’s Public Information Office, said in a press briefing Monday that justices Lee Mi-sun and Jeong Hyung-sik have been chosen as the two lead justices to oversee the evidence examination and arguments.

The chief justice, who leads the ruling by drafting the resolution and preparing arguments, has not been disclosed by the court. The chief justice is selected through a random draw.

But according to news reports, Jeong, who was appointed as justice by Yoon in 2023, has been designated as chief justice.

It is not mandatory for the court to reveal the chief justice, but they did in 2017 with ex-President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment case, citing the “severity of the issue.”

The court has also formed a task force comprising 10 constitutional researchers, led by a senior researcher. It added that it would also secure investigation records from the prosecutors and police in advance.

Preparations are underway to deliver a copy of an impeachment trial bill to Yoon and request his reply, the court added, though it is not compulsory for Yoon to do so.

It is highly likely that Yoon does not show up at the Dec. 27 hearing since it is a preparatory procedure. But he must attend the public hearing of his trial and participate in the oral pleading. If he fails to appear, the date needs to be reset.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.

Via a reader tip comes this news of a North Korean friendly fire incident in Ukraine. It is coming from Ukrainian intelligence so the usual caveats apply in regards to how true this story is:

Russian paramilitary soldiers were accidentally targeted and killed by North Korean troops in a recent bout of friendly fire, according to Ukrainian officials.

In a statement published on Saturday, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) detailed how Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) soldiers have recently assisted Russian troops in the Kursk Oblast, which is currently occupied by Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian officials estimate that around 11,000 DPRK personnel are stationed in Russia.

“The aggressor state of Russia has begun to use DPRK soldiers in assault operations in the Kursk region, in particular, as part of the combined units of the marines and airborne troops of the Russian Armed Forces,” the statement read. 

Fox News

You can read more at the link.

If Trump wants to increase tariffs on South Korea I don’t think it really matters who the leader is:

Korea’s ongoing leadership crisis, triggered by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s attempt to impose martial law, is feared to leave the country vulnerable to potential new tariffs from the incoming Donald Trump administration during upcoming trade and economic negotiations, industry officials said Sunday.

Yoon is suspended from his duties following the National Assembly’s vote on Saturday to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec. 3. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has stepped in as acting president.

Officials from the nation’s business community expressed concerns that Korea may have weaker negotiating power under the presidency of the interim head of state.

“Every nation engages in a tight tug-of-war with the United States to minimize any damages from the ultra-protectionist stance of Trump,” an official from a major manufacturing firm here said.

“But it becomes harder for Korea to do so on an equal footing due to the absence of the state leader.”

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

South Korea’s acting President Han Duck-soo made sure to call President Biden over the weekend and assure him everything is fine in Korea:

Acting President Han Duck-soo held phone talks with U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday and vowed to maintain and develop the two countries’ alliance, his office said.

Han held the 16-minute phone conversation with Biden after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached by the National Assembly on Saturday over his short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec. 3.

“Our government will carry out our diplomatic and security policies without disruption and work to ensure that the South Korea-U.S. alliance continues to be maintained and developed without wavering,” he said, according to his office.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It looks like Han Dong-hoon’s days as the leader of the PPP are limited:

The leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) plans to hold a press conference on Monday, officials said Sunday, amid growing calls for his resignation after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached.

Earlier in the day, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon abruptly cancelled a press conference where he had been expected to announce his resignation.

Han will instead hold the presser at 10:30 a.m. Monday, according to PPP officials. 

Han had earlier vowed to continue his duties in response to calls for his resignation after the National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon on Saturday.

He has since faced growing pressure to step down after all five elected members of the PPP’s Supreme Council expressed their intent to resign.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

When Yoon would not voluntarily step down after the aborted martial law attempt, his impeachment was inevitable:

The National Assembly passed a motion, Saturday, to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law declaration, with some lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party joining in support of his removal from office.

The impeachment motion against Yoon was put to a vote, with a total of 300 ballots cast: 204 in favor, 85 opposed, 3 abstentions, and 8 invalid votes.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link, but next the Constitutional Court will hold a trial to validate the impeachment. I have been saying since shortly after Yoon was elected that the Korean left would look for any reason to impeach him and he gift wrapped them a reason.

It’s Friday the 13, be safe out there!