A lawyer who is involved in the formation of President Yoon Suk Yeol's defense teams for his treason and impeachment trials said the impeachment trial procedures should precede those for the ongoing treason investigations.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Seok Dong-hyeon, who is also a long-time friend of the president, said the impeachment trial proceedings came first in the case of former President Park Geun-hye, who faced criminal investigations after being ousted.

He said Yoon, who has been temporarily suspended while awaiting the Constitutional Court's decision, remains as the country's president.

The lawyer said none of the ongoing investigations require the president to appear in person for questioning, suggesting that it would be inappropriate for Yoon to do so while still holding office.

Seok also doubted that the investigative agencies are prepared to address the entire situation surrounding the disarray in state affairs that prompted the president to declare martial law, stressing that the issue should be dealt with during the impeachment trial.

Seok dismissed suggestions that Yoon is deliberately "buying time" ahead of the trials by delaying the formation of his defense teams, saying time is needed to fully prepare for the trial proceedings.