Verdict On Impeachment Due In Mid-May

The Constitutional Court (Chief Justice Yoon Young-chul) opened up a final hearing on the impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun at 2 p.m. on April 30, and has finished its investigation of the evidence and arguments.

The nine-justice court plans to open a number of judicial conferences so that they can examine every kind of argument and opinion the Assembly attorneys and the defense team for President Roh Moo-hyun has proposed, and reach a final conclusion around mid-May.

During the day’s court proceedings, Assembly attorney Kim Ki-chun said that “as was revealed during the period of hearings, arguments and investigation on the evidence, the cause of the impeachment is clearly enough, and the voting procedures are legitimate.” He also asked the court “to decide on the dismissal of President Roh.”

On the other hand, Han Seung-hun, a lawyer on the defense team for President Roh asserted, “The standard which the National Assembly has upset should be established upright by the Constitutional Court,” adding, “We should make good use of this opportunity to change the pain originated by the majority party’s tyranny into a rebirth of a new political culture.”

The Assembly’s attorneys reacted against the prosecution’s failure to submit related documents of the investigation into the corruption scandal and copies of investigation records, and went directly to the Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office and requested it to verify the investigation documents. This request was not accepted.

Meanwhile, the court imposed a 500,000 won fine on Choi Do-sul, the former presidential secretary, who was present on March 20 as a witness but rejected the entire testimony.

However, the court decided not to apply sanctions against the president of Lotte Shopping, Shin Dong-in, for canceling his appointment on the witness stand due to health concerns.

Sang-Rok Lee myzodan@donga.com