South Korea looks set for a dramatic political showdown this week as impeachment proceedings kick off against suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol, who remains holed up in his fortified residence evading arrest for a separate criminal investigation.

South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol will not attend the first hearing of the trial to determine if he his removed from office or reinstated, Yonhap news agency quoted his lawyer as saying on Sunday.

Yoon's salary will increase by 3% to 262.6 million won ($179,000; £147,000), in line with the standard for government officials. Since his impeachment in December, Yoon has resisted attempts to investigate and arrest him for alleged insurrection and abuse of power,

South Korea's suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol will not attend the first hearing of his impeachment trial next week because of safety concerns, his lawyer said on Sunday.Therefore, the President will not be able to attend the trial on January 14,

For weeks, impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has holed up inside his guarded residential compound as investigators try to figure out how to detain him. Scuffles occurred Jan. 3 when dozens of investigators were stopped from entering the compound by presidential