South Korea: Ex-president’s lawyers demand exclusion of constitutional court justice over fair ruling concern

The legal representatives of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday demanded the Constitutional Court exclude one of its eight justices in trials over Yoon's failed martial law bid last month, Yonhap reports.

Yoon's lawyers made the request as they say Constitutional Court Justice Jeong Gye-seon will make it difficult for the court to come up with a fair ruling due to her progressive inclinations.

The court can reject the request if it is apparently aimed at delaying the trials.

Last month, the opposition-controlled National Assembly voted in favor of the appointment of three Constitutional Court judges -- Jeong and Ma Eun-hyuk, both nominated by the main opposition Democratic Party, and Cho Han-chang, recommended by the ruling People Power Party.

Acting President and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok approved the appointment for two of them, Jeong and Cho.

Yoon's legal team also filed an objection against the court's decision to set Yoon's first date for pleading on Jan. 14. They said the trials on impeached acting President Han Duck-soo should be held first.

Previous acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was impeached after refusing to appoint the justices to the Constitutional Court.

Yoon made a martial law declaration on Dec. 3, citing removal of anti-state forces, which lasted only six hours before lawmakers voted to lift the measure at the National Assembly. The Assembly impeached Yoon on Dec. 14 and accused him of insurrection.

Earlier it was reported that acting president Choi again called on government agencies to avoid any violence in Yoon’s arrest.