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.

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol likely kept the United States in the dark about his plan to declare martial law to avoid interference, the National Assembly speaker said.