Anchor: The Constitutional Court is likely to speed up its handling of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial this week, with only two more hearings scheduled to take place so far. The top court is expected to issue a ruling two to three weeks after hearing the arguments.
Bae Joo-yon wraps up the court proceedings. 

Report: Arguments in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial are expected to wrap up this week at the Constitutional Court. 

The hearings in the president’s trial are approaching their final phase and may conclude as early as this week, with the seventh hearing set for Tuesday and the eighth scheduled to take place Thursday.

The Constitutional Court has not scheduled any additional hearings so far.

Four witnesses are set to testify on Tuesday, including former interior minister Lee Sang-min and Director of National Security Shin Won-sik. 

Four other witnesses, including the nation’s top police official, who has been indicted in connection with the December 3 martial law incident, and National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong, will take the stand Thursday. 

After the hearings conclude and both sides present their arguments, the court’s justices are expected to deliberate on the case for two to three weeks before delivering a ruling. 

However, as Yoon’s legal team is calling for additional witness testimony, it is uncertain whether the proceedings will conclude as scheduled.

Another possible variable in Yoon’s trial is the court’s ruling on whether acting President Choi Sang-mok violated the Constitution or infringed on the National Assembly’s authority in deferring the appointment of Ma Eun-hyuk as the ninth Constitutional Court justice. 

Proceedings in that case resumed Monday.

If the court deems Choi’s decision unconstitutional, Ma will be appointed and this could delay a ruling in Yoon’s impeachment trial.
Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.