The Constitutional Court says it will hold the second impeachment hearing on Friday as planned.

Asked by reporters about whether the second hearing will take place as scheduled, Chief Justice Yoon Young-chul said that it would, suggesting that the Constitutional Court will reject parliamentary prosecutors' request to delay the hearing.

The first open hearing was held on Tuesday, but Pres. Roh, the defendant in the case, didn't appear at the court to defend himself. His lawyers say the president will not be present at Friday's second hearing, either.

The Constitutional Court earlier said that, if the president again refuses to comply with its summons to present himself for opening arguments, it would go ahead with the second hearing without his attendance.

On Tuesday, parliamentary prosecutors said they will request the nine-member court to delay the date of the second hearing. They said Representative Kim Ki-choon, the chief prosecutor in the case, won't be able to attend Friday's hearing since he is busy preparing for the general election.