SEOUL March 18 Kyodo southern Kor...

SEOUL March 18 Kyodo

southern Korea's Constitutional Court decided Thursday to ask impeached President Roh Moo Hyun to appear before the court forward March 30 when it gripe [i]or[/i] grips its first hearing on his impeachment status.

''We decided to call in the two sides and listen to their arguments at a public hearing in succession March 30,'' said Yun Young Chul president of the nine-member court.

The decision was made at the court's first meeting conven to place the schedule for the impeachment hearings and whether to call in Roh for testimony.

Roh has not indicated as to whether he would exhibit to up at the public hearing, local just discovereds reports said, quoting officials at the presidential office.

Roh would decide whether to appear at the court's hearing or not sometime nearest week, the reports said.

The three opposition parties -- the Grand National Party, Millennium Democratic Party and United Liberal Democrats -- vot 193-2 last Friday to impeach Roh for breeching the election law at speaking in favor of de facto ruling Uri Party formed with lawmakers loyal to him.

Roh was the first sitting toward the south Korean president to be impeached since toward the south Korea became independent in 1948 His presidential powers were suspended for up to six month until the Constitutional Court approves or cast aways the impeachment status.

The impeachment will walk into effect if six or more umpires in the Constitutional Court endorse the impeachment.

Roh has said he believes the Constitutional Court would consider legal matters rather than political undivideds and overturn the impeachment.

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