The Constitutional Court is taking an unusually long time to deliberate on President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment trial, as this Tuesday marks the 14th day since the conclusion of oral arguments. By comparison, former Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye’s impeachment rulings were delivered 14 and 11 days, respectively, after their arguments had concluded. This suggests that the Constitutional Court is taking the longest time in history to weigh a presidential impeachment decision.
On this day, the Constitutional Court announced that it would hand down its verdict on March 13 at 10 a.m. regarding the impeachment of three officials, including Choi Jae-hae, the chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection, and Seoul Central District Prosecutor Lee Chang-soo. However, the schedule for the verdict on Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, whose arguments concluded before President Yoon’s, has not been set, indicating the Court’s deep contemplation over President Yoon’s case. Typically, impeachment verdict notification occurs 2-3 days prior to the decision, stirring speculation that the verdict might extend beyond this week. Previous rulings on impeachments for ex-presidents were delivered on Fridays, fueling predictions for a possible March 14 verdict for President Yoon, yet no specific announcement has yet been made by the Court.
Amid this, numerous unconfirmed rumors are circulating around the Constitutional Court. It’s said that the judges are deeply deliberating due to the court’s cancellation of President Yoon’s arrest, and the ruling might not come until the end of March, creating uncertainty about whether the impeachment will be upheld or dismissed. Within the political sphere, there are also discussions about President Yoon’s side weighing the pros and cons of requesting a retrial. The release of a recorded audio file indicating the opposition party’s alleged coercion and bribing of former Special Forces commander Gwak Jong-geun might lead to President Yoon’s side submitting the file as additional evidence, which complicates the matter even further. Moreover, if the trial extends, there could be room for Moon Heuk-jae, a pending Constitutional Court judge nominee, to participate in the proceedings.
Additionally, the acting Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, Moon Hyung-bae, and Justice Lee Mi-sun’s terms end on April 18.