Just a few hours before the expected ruling, the court abruptly changed its plans, announcing that it would hold a hearing next Monday, with the ruling on the case postponed indefinitely. Many speculate that the move came amid concerns about being seen as rushed or improperly handling the case.
Late last year, Choi appointed two justices from three nominees to fill vacancies on the bench and said he would appoint Ma Eun-hyuk, the remaining nominee, once the ruling and opposition parties reached an agreement. The court is required to rule on the case after National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik filed an injunction disputing Choi's refusal to appoint Ma.
Ma Eun-hyuk, a justice nominee, speaks at a hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 23, 2024. YonhapWith eight of the nine justices currently seated, the appointment of Ma, recommended by the main opposition Democratic Party, could become a crucial issue, as the court has been deliberating President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial over his botched martial law debacle in December last year.
Under South Korean law, the court requires at least seven out of nine justices to form a quorum for deliberating on an impeachment case, and a minimum of six justices must vote in favor to uphold it.
Meanwhile, Yoon is set to appear once again for a hearing in his impeachment trial scheduled for Tuesday. With such hearings being held twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Yoon, who is accused of colluding with former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and others to declare martial law on Dec. 3, is also facing a criminal trial later this month on charges of insurrection and abuse of power.
The Seoul Central District Court, handling Yoon's case, has scheduled the first pre-trial hearing for Feb. 20.
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