Constitutional Court Rejects Yoon Side's Request for Prime Minister Han Deok-su as Witness, Citing "Lack of Necessity"

Constitutional Court justices are attending the 7th impeachment trial of President Yoon Seok-yeol held at the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 11th. Photo by Joint Press Corps

The request by President Yoon Seok-yeol's side to summon and question Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as a witness in the impeachment trial was dismissed.

Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae of the Constitutional Court stated at the 7th hearing held on the 11th, "After deliberation, the court has determined that the witness requests for Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Lee Kyung-min (Chief of Staff and Acting Commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command) lack necessity and are therefore dismissed."

They were witnesses requested by President Yoon's side.

Additionally, the Constitutional Court also rejected President Yoon's side's verification request to cross-check whether the number of early and same-day voters in the Incheon Yeonsu-eul electoral district matches the number of voters on the electoral roll.

Previously, on the 31st of last month, the Constitutional Court had dismissed the request once, but President Yoon's side filed an objection in response. At that time, Acting Chief Justice Moon explained, "After deliberation, the court unanimously found no grounds for legal violation in the dismissal decision." The second request with the same intent submitted by President Yoon's side was also dismissed.

Acting Chief Justice Moon said that the witness requests by President Yoon's side for Kang Ui-gu, First Deputy Chief of the Presidential Secretariat, Shin Yong-hae, Director of the Ministry of Justice Correctional Headquarters, and Park Kyung-sun, former Director of Seoul Eastern Detention Center, "will be decided after deliberation on whether to accept or reject them."

Police Chief Jo Ji-ho is scheduled for questioning on the 13th but has submitted a letter of absence due to health reasons. The 8th hearing on the 13th is currently the last scheduled session.