IS THIS THE ONLY CASE AGAINST YOON?
Far from it. Yoon has also earned the ignominious honour of becoming South Korea’s first sitting president to stand trial in a criminal case.
He faces charges of having committed insurrection in declaring martial law in December, punishable with life in prison or even the death penalty.
That case is expected to drag on well past his impeachment.
“The entire criminal trial process, including appeals to the second and third instances, could take around one to two years,” lawyer Min Kyoung-sic told AFP.
“If found guilty, a heavy sentence – either life imprisonment or a long-term prison sentence – is highly likely,” Min said.
It would make Yoon the third South Korean president to be found guilty of insurrection.
And if Yoon is not impeached, he will be able to remain in power, despite his pending criminal trials.
“It’s a contradiction, really. If the president is not removed from office, he would continue to face a criminal trial for insurrection while still serving as the sitting president. That in itself would be highly inappropriate,” Yun said.
WHAT HAPPENS IF HE’S REMOVED?
If Yoon is removed from office, South Korea will have to hold fresh elections within 60 days.
Leading in recent polls is Lee Jae-myung, leader of the opposition liberal Democratic Party, with all other rivals lagging far behind, according to the latest Gallup poll.
But analysts caution it is too early to say if Lee would emerge victorious, as there is a mere 6 per cent gap between approval ratings for his party and Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP).
“The current political landscape following the declaration of martial law differs significantly from the impeachment crisis eight years ago,” Gallup Korea said in a report.
And Lee also has legal troubles of his own, facing several trials over alleged corruption and other criminal charges.
He was convicted of violating election laws in November and sentenced to a suspended prison term.
If the Supreme Court upholds that conviction before new polls, he will be barred from running.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/south-korea-yoon-suk-yeol-what-happens-next-impeachment-trial-end-4958236
