Presidential Office: "Cannot Participate in Unconstitutional and Illegal Impeachment Hearing"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is delivering a commemorative speech at the '1st Day of North Korean Defectors Commemoration Ceremony' held at the Blue House State Guesthouse on the 14th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Presidential Office stated on the 15th that it cannot participate in the 'Impeachment Hearing for President Yoon Seok-yeol' pushed by the opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Korea.

A senior official from the Presidential Office said on the same day, "We cannot respond to an unconstitutional and illegal impeachment hearing."

Earlier, the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee decided to hold impeachment hearings on the 19th and 26th after a public petition for the impeachment of President Yoon received over one million signatures.

The impeachment hearing on the 19th is scheduled to address allegations of investigative interference in the death case of Marine Corps soldier Chae Sang-byeong by the Presidential Office, with 22 witnesses selected, including Kang Ui-gu, Chief of the Presidential Office Secretariat, and Kim Yong-hyun, Chief of the Presidential Security Service.

However, the ruling party is opposing the impeachment hearing, calling it 'fundamentally invalid.' They argue that holding a hearing based on a public petition citing reasons that do not meet the requirements for presidential impeachment is unprecedented.