"Second Plead to be Held Tomorrow"

Despite the request from the impeachment committee to postpone the public pleading with regard to the impeachment trial of President Roh Moo-hyun, the Constitutional Court announced yesterday that the second hearing is to be held at 2 p.m. on April 2.

President Yoon Young-chul of the Constitutional Court said on March 31 that the second hearing will be held as scheduled.

The administrative secretary of the impeachment committee, the Grand National Party’s (GNP) Kim Yong-kyun said on March 30 that Chief Commissioner Kim Ki-chun of the Legislation and Judiciary of the Assembly is unable to attend the hearing on April 2 because of personal reasons.

Constitutional researcher Chun Jong-ik, who is in charge of the publicity of this case, said that “there will be no changes made to the schedule,” and that, “it is up to the judges to decide whether they will proceed with the hearing without the commissioners of the impeachment committee present.”

The Constitutional Court is still working to reach a consensus on whether they will proceed with the hearing when the attorneys of the impeachment committee along with Commissioner Kim Ki-chun fail to show up for the second hearing on the scheduled date.

The impeachment committee has requested to the court on March 30, that the second hearing date to be rescheduled to a subsequent date from the general election in consideration of the preparation of the pleading and the election schedule of the Commissioner Kim.

The attorneys of the president is to submit corroborative data, including the remarks from the president, and records of the voting process of the impeachment resolution in the second hearing to show that it is unnecessary to take any additional evidence.

Also, they are deliberating ways to question the feasibility of proceeding with the litigation with only the attorneys of the impeachment committee present when the commissioner fails to attend the hearing.

Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court will be taking applications for public admission to the second hearing until noon of April 1 at the court’s website (www.ccourt.go.kr).

Sang-Rok Lee myzodan@donga.com