PM Han Duck-soo attends 1st impeachment trial hearing, defends actions as 'constitutional'

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo attended the first hearing of his impeachment trial today.

The hearing comes nearly two months after the opposition-led parliament voted to impeach him from his post as acting president following his reluctance to approve new Constitutional Court justices.

Han for his part has claimed his decision is consistent with the country's constitutional tradition that calls for bipartisan accord on judicial nominations.

Han has also rejected allegations of having played a part in President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law.

Meanwhile the parliament's impeachment panel co-chair Jung Chung-rae insists Han disrupted the nation by failing to approve the National Assembly's judicial nominations.