Yoon Suk Yeol To Go On Criminal Trial

Ousted South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol (left) will become the first leader to stand trial in a criminal case as hearings open on Thursday over his bid to impose martial law. 

The 64-year-old former prosecutor has been in prison since he was arrested in January on charges of insurrection, for which he could be sentenced to life in prison or face the death penalty if found guilty.

Prosecutors have accused the suspended president of being the “ringleader of an insurrection”. His lawyers say the investigation lacked legitimacy from the start and have challenged the legality of his indictment, claiming it was within his power as head of state to declare martial law. 

Separately, South Korea’s constitutional court is deliberating whether to formally remove Yoon from office following his impeachment by parliament in December. His 10th hearing in that case is scheduled for 03:00 PM, just hours after he takes the stand in his criminal trial.

But it is still not clear whether that impeachment hearing will be his last before the constitutional court’s eight judges go behind closed doors to deliberate. That process could take up to a fortnight or even longer. 

Previously impeached presidents Park Geun-hye and Roh Moo-hyun had to wait eleven and fourteen days respectively, to learn their fates. If Yoon is removed from office, the country must hold fresh presidential elections within 60 days.

Yesterday, Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points after a nail-biting 2-2 draw against Aston Villa. The former had dropped two crucial points for the second time in three games as the title race heats up. Another disappointment, if you ask me. 

Mohamed Salah continued to dazzle for the Reds scoring the opening goal 29 minutes in. The Villans restored parity in the thirty-eighth minute and then turned the game on its head with a precise header at 45+3 minutes. 

On sixty-one minutes, Salah found Alexander-Arnold from the right, and the right-back powered a deflected effort home.

Both sides had big chances in the final part of the game, but the spoils were ultimately shared. As far as I'm concerned, Liverpool must look at it as two points dropped! Their gap with Arsenal is now eight with the Gunners able to cut it to five if they beat West Ham United on Saturday.

And the following day, Arne Slot's side go to Manchester City in what could now be a defining week in the title race.

Are Reds in a dip? We'll know on Sunday.