SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- A court handling the case against former impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on charges including obstruction of arrest and deletion of encrypted phone records announced plans to deliver its ruling on Jan. 16 next year, multiple local media reported Tuesday.

A criminal division of the Seoul Central District Court in charge of Yoon's obstruction of special public duties case was quoted as saying that it should conclude public hearings by Dec. 26 and hand down its ruling on Jan. 16 next year.

Citing a provision in the martial law special prosecution act stipulating that the first-trial ruling should be delivered within six months, the court noted that the verdict should be issued before Jan. 19 next year, as the indictment was filed by the special counsel on July 19.

The court has reviewed five charges, including Yoon's alleged obstruction of arrest by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials in January, deletion of encrypted phone records and the spread of false public announcements related to martial law.

The constitutional court upheld a motion to impeach Yoon on April 4 over his botched martial law bid last December, officially removing him from office.

The ousted leader was indicted under detention on Jan. 26 as a suspected ringleader of insurrection. Enditem