South Korea's Constitutional Court briefly opened and adjourned the impeachment trial of suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday after the embattled leader failed to appear in court. Yoon’s legal team cited concerns over his inability to present his case due to an ongoing bid by authorities to detain him.

The court, presided over by acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae, announced that the trial would proceed on Thursday even if Yoon abstains again, with his legal representatives standing in for him.

Yoon, who has been confined to his fortified hillside villa in Seoul for weeks, faces both impeachment proceedings and a criminal investigation for alleged insurrection. Investigating authorities, including the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and the police, are pursuing an arrest warrant against him after he ignored summons for questioning.

Yoon’s legal counsel argues that the current arrest warrant is invalid, citing procedural violations. "A legitimate warrant must exist, and it must be legally presented and executed," said his lawyer, Yoon Kab-keun. The lawyer criticized previous attempts to detain the president, which resulted in a standoff with presidential security officers.

Yoon’s declaration of martial law on December 3, which lasted for six hours, has exacerbated political unrest in South Korea, plunging the nation into an unprecedented crisis.

Amid heightened security concerns, Yoon’s chief of staff, Chung Jin-suk, proposed alternatives to avoid confrontation during the arrest process. He suggested questioning Yoon at a neutral location or arranging a visit to his villa. Meanwhile, the defence ministry confirmed that military forces responsible for presidential security would not be involved in executing the warrant.

The CIO and police, working in coordination with the Presidential Security Service (PSS), have requested peaceful and cooperative measures to carry out the arrest. The PSS has yet to respond.

The political crisis coincided with North Korea launching several short-range ballistic missiles on Tuesday, further intensifying regional tensions. The missile tests occurred during Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya's visit to Seoul and days before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. South Korean lawmakers, briefed by the National Intelligence Service, suggested that North Korea’s actions aim to "demonstrate its U.S. deterrent capabilities and capture Trump’s attention."

As the Constitutional Court deliberates Yoon’s future, it faces a 180-day deadline to determine whether to remove him from office or restore his presidential powers.