South Korea's opposition says delay of Yoon impeachment ruling is irresponsible

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's opposition Democratic Party on Monday urged the country's Constitutional Court to swiftly rule on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, saying keeping the country waiting is "irresponsible" and deepening social division.

As the eight-member court continued deliberations well into the third week, political tensions have surged between those who demand Yoon's ouster for declaring a short-lived martial law in December and supporters who want him reinstated.

The court had wrapped up arguments on February 25, where Yoon said his martial law declaration was needed to root out "anti-state" elements but he never intended to fully impose emergency military rule.

"The country and the people have come to the breaking point," a Democratic Party leadership member Kim Min-seok said. "We wait for the court's responsible decision. Further delay is not normal and irresponsible," he told a party meeting.

In 2017, former president Park Geun-hye was removed from office 11 days after the final arguments in the Constitutional Court in her impeachment trial.

South Koreans have gathered in huge numbers in the capital Seoul supporting and backing the conservative leader's removal, saying the delay has been frustrating and made confusion worse.

Yoon was impeached by the Democratic Party-controlled parliament in December for violating his constitutional duty. He committed acts that are a grave threat to rule of law and more than disqualify him from office, the impeachment motion said.

Yoon is on a separate criminal trial on charges of leading insurrection, which is punishable by death or life in prison.

The fallout of Yoon's martial law declaration has widened the rifts between the conservatives and liberals and those in the public, adding stress on institutions and putting much of the government policy making in limbo.

Some of the country's top military commanders have been taken off duty and face criminal trials for their roles in the martial law decree. Arguments in the trial of former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun on insurrection charges begin on Monday.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who was briefly acting president after Yoon was impeached and suspended from power on December 14, has also been impeached and the country is now led by the Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok.

(Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Michael Perry)