With the first preparatory hearing for President Yoon Seok-yeol's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court scheduled for the 27th, attention is focused on the lineup of both sides.
According to the legal community on the 21st, the National Assembly has formed a 17-member legal team to represent President Yoon in the impeachment trial. The team appointed former Constitutional Court Justice Kim Yi-su, former National Human Rights Commission Chairman Song Du-hwan, and former Seoul High Court Chief Judge Lee Kwang-beom as representatives.
Former Justice Kim (Judicial Research and Training Institute Class 9) served as a Constitutional Court Justice from 2012 to 2018 and is known for his clear convictions, notably being the sole dissenting voice in the dissolution case of the Unified Progressive Party. During his tenure, he was called 'Mr. Minority Opinion' and was also involved in the impeachment trial of former President Park Geun-hye.
In 2022, a commemorative essay collection marking his 70th birthday was published, containing writings that cover the 1980 court trials where participants of the Gwangju Democratization Movement were punished for treason on charges of disturbing the national order, and the subsequent revelations that led to the prosecution of key figures such as the Chun Doo-hwan military regime for treason due to their brutal suppression.
Former Chairman Song (Judicial Research and Training Institute Class 12) is also a former Constitutional Court Justice. A representative progressive legal figure, he served as president of the Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun) and was a judge by background. In 2003, he served as a special prosecutor in the North Korean remittance scandal.
Attorney Lee Kwang-beom (Judicial Research and Training Institute Class 13) is an 'elite judge' who served as chief of staff, personnel director, and judicial policy director during the tenure of former Chief Justice Lee Yong-hoon. He was a founding member of the progressive legal group Uri Law Research Association and in 2012 served as a special prosecutor investigating former President Lee Myung-bak's alleged purchase of land for his Naegok-dong residence.
Attorney Kim Jin-han, a former constitutional researcher at the Constitutional Court, is in charge of overall practical affairs for the legal team. He is expected to handle major written submissions and oral arguments.
It remains uncertain when the outline of the president’s legal team will be revealed.
For investigation response, President Yoon is assembling a defense team mainly composed of legal professionals and former prosecutors with past connections, such as former Broadcasting and Communications Commission Chairman Kim Hong-il and former High Prosecutors’ Office Chief Prosecutor Yoon Gap-geun.
Former Chairman Kim (Judicial Research and Training Institute Class 15) started as a violent crimes prosecutor, served as the third deputy chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, and was head of the Central Investigation Division at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, known as a specialist in violent and special crimes. Former Chief Prosecutor Yoon (Judicial Research and Training Institute Class 19) also served as head of the Special Investigation Division 2 at the Central District Prosecutors’ Office and as third deputy chief for two years, recognized as an expert in special investigations.
The roster of legal professionals participating in the Constitutional Court impeachment trial response has not yet been finalized. It is reported that they are considering including former Constitutional Court officials with deep understanding of constitutional trials.
Attorney Seok Dong-hyun (Judicial Research and Training Institute Class 15), a university classmate and '40-year friend' who currently serves as Secretary-General of the National Unification Advisory Council under the current administration, is not directly participating in the defense or legal teams but is providing support from the sidelines. He currently acts as the external liaison for the defense and legal teams.
Meanwhile, just before the National Assembly passed the impeachment motion, President Yoon appointed Senior Administrative Officer Chae Myung-sung of the Civil Affairs Office as his legal secretary. Secretary Chae (Judicial Research and Training Institute Class 36) previously participated in the legal team for former President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment trial and her criminal defense team.
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