S. Korea's court holds 9th hearing of president Yoon's impeachment trial

SEOUL -- South Korea's constitutional court on Tuesday held the ninth hearing of President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment trial.

Legal representatives of Yoon and the National Assembly summarized their respective arguments so far during the hearing, while the court examined evidence that was adopted but not yet reviewed.

Yoon, who presented himself at the courtroom for the past six hearings, visited the court to attend the ninth hearing, but he returned to the Seoul detention center in Uiwang, about 30 km south of the court, just before the start of the hearing.

Yoon's defense counsel was quoted as saying that Yoon decided to return as he had no need to express his stance directly during the hearing.

The 10th hearing was scheduled for Thursday, when each side will be asked to present final statements and as many as three witnesses may testify.

Yoon declared an emergency martial law on the night of Dec 3 last year, but it was repealed by the opposition-led National Assembly hours later.

The motion to impeach Yoon was passed through the National Assembly on Dec 14 last year and was delivered to the constitutional court to deliberate it for up to 180 days, during which Yoon's presidential power is suspended.

Yoon was apprehended in the presidential office on Jan 15, becoming the country's first sitting president to be arrested.

Yoon, who was named as a suspected ringleader of insurrection, was indicted under detention on Jan 26, becoming the country's first incumbent president to be put on trial in custody.