Impeached South Korean president defies Christmas summons

SEOUL - South Korea's suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol refused a summons to appear for questioning on Christmas Day, the second time he has defied investigators' demands in a week.

Investigators probing Yoon had ordered him to appear for questioning at 10 am (GMT 0100) on Wednesday, a demand he rejected.

Yoon, a former prosecutor, also failed to attend a hearing he was summoned to last Wednesday, giving no explanation for his absence.

The conservative leader was stripped of his duties by parliament on December 14, following a short-lived martial law declaration that plunged the country into its worst political crisis in decades.

Yoon faces impeachment and criminal charges of insurrection, which could result in life imprisonment or even the death penalty, in a drama that has shocked democratic South Korea's allies around the world.

The Corruption Investigation Office is expected to decide in the coming days whether to issue a third summons or ask a court to grant an arrest warrant to compel Yoon to appear for questioning.

He is being investigated by prosecutors as well as a joint team comprising police, defence ministry, and anti-corruption officials, while the Constitutional Court deliberates on the impeachment motion passed by parliament.

If upheld by the court, which is required to deliver its ruling within six months of the impeachment, a by-election must be held within 60 days of the court's decision.

Former president Park Geun-hye was impeached under similar circumstances, but she was investigated only after the Constitutional Court removed her from power.

South Korea's opposition said Tuesday it would hold back a decision to impeach acting president Han Duck-soo until later in the week.

The opposition Democratic Party earlier said it would introduce an impeachment motion against Han to protest the interim leader's refusal to sign into law special bills to investigate Yoon.