A South Korean court has begun the impeachment process of Yeon Suk-yeol

South Korea’s Constitutional Court has begun trial proceedings for President Yeon Suk-yeol, who was suspended for declaring martial law and plunging his country into political turmoil.

Representatives voted to impeach Yoon last Saturday, after his actions sparked widespread protests demanding that he step down.

The court now has six months to decide whether to remove Yoon or reinstate him.

Yoon’s ruling People Power Party has been facing the repercussions ever since, with its leader announcing his resignation on Monday.

While public hearings in Yoon’s impeachment trial could take months, the court is under pressure to make a quick decision and put an end to political uncertainty. The demonstrators vowed to continue their calls for Yoon’s dismissal during the court proceedings.

In the previous two cases, the South Korean president faced impeachment, and the court overturned one decision and upheld the other.

There have been questions about whether the trial in Yoon’s case could go ahead, as the court currently has only six judges out of nine. Three recently retired and have not yet been replaced.

But the court said on Monday that it may conduct Yoon’s trial with only six judges, and set an initial hearing date of December 27.

If the court upholds the indictment in Yoon’s case, the country must hold new presidential elections within 60 days. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han Dak-soo serves as acting president.

It is unclear whether Yoon will take the stand himself during the court hearings.

He ignored a summons to meet prosecutors in Seoul on Sunday, and is scheduled to be summoned again for questioning. If he fails to come forward this week, police may move to arrest him.

Yoon defended his decision to impose martial law, and after his impeachment he again said he would fight to the end.

Minutes after the Constitutional Court convened on Monday morning, Pakistan People’s Party leader Han Dong-hun announced his resignation.

“I sincerely apologize to all the people experiencing this emergency,” Hahn said in a televised news conference.

Hahn faced increasing calls for his resignation, especially from the large pro-Leon faction in his party, after the president’s impeachment.

Han initially tried to organize Yoon’s exit in an orderly manner. But yet Defiant speech By Yoon, Han had a change of heart and called for his impeachment, saying it was the only way to stop him.

On Saturday, 12 MPs from the Pakistan Peoples Party He thought they had They voted for impeachment, allowing the motion to pass. But most other PPP lawmakers voted against Yoon’s impeachment.

All five members of the PPP Supreme Council said after the vote that they would resign, which would automatically lead to the dissolution of the party leadership.

The Supreme Council, the Han, was also “destroyed”. He saidIt was now “impossible” to perform his duties as party president.

“Although it pains me to think about my grieving supporters, I do not regret it,” Han said, referring to his decision to call for Yoon’s impeachment.