South Korean Court to hold first formal hearing of PM's impeachment trial Feb 19

Kim Hyung-du, the lead justice for the case, announced the decision during a preparatory hearing at the court, requesting that legal representatives for both Han and the National Assembly submit necessary documents and evidence by February 13.

Han was impeached by the opposition-controlled Assembly on December 27 after refusing to appoint additional justices to the Constitutional Court ahead of its review of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment over his December 3 declaration of martial law.

The impeachment motion against Han also accused him of plotting or abetting an insurrection through the short-lived imposition of martial law.

The court is expected to focus solely on whether the former prime minister violated the Constitution by aiding Yoon in his alleged insurrection attempt, without examining potential criminal law violations, Yonhap news agency reported.

Han asked the court to proceed in a swift manner, emphasising that "speed and prudence are critical in any impeachment of an acting president."

The first hearing on February 19 will begin at 2 p.m.

Earlier on January 4, Yoon Suk Yeol said that nothing had actually happened regarding his martial law decree, denying allegations that he had ordered military commanders to drag lawmakers out of parliament in an attempt to prevent them from blocking its imposition.

Yoon made the claim while attending the fifth formal hearing of his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul.

The National Assembly had voted to impeach Yoon over his shocking, albeit short-lived, imposition of martial law on December 3. Yoon had been indicted on charges of leading an insurrection and had been under arrest.

Yoon is 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.