President Yoon Suk Yeol Yoon imposed martial law in the middle of the night earlier this month, plunging South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades.

South Korea's acting president faces an impeachment vote as the Constitutional Court meets for its first hearing on Friday in the case of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached and suspended from duties after a short-lived martial law.

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol again declined to appear for questioning by investigators over his martial law declaration as the embattled leader seeks to first defend himself at an impeachment trial.