The Constitutional Court ended its second hearing in President Roh Moo-hyun's impeachment trial late Friday evening.

During the six-hour session, the court's nine justices heard intense arguments from Roh's defense attorneys and parliamentary prosecutors.

President Roh Moo-hyun, the defendant in the trial, and Chief Prosecutor Kim Ki-choon did not attend the hearing.

Opposition lawmakers, the plaintiff in the trial, defended their reasons for impeaching the president, including an alleged election law violation, financial scandals involving Roh's former aides, and economic breakdown, allegedly brought on by the leader's incompetence.

In response, Roh's defense attorneys said the opposition had ignored legal procedures during the National Assembly's impeachment vote and that its grounds for impeachment were too weak.

The Constitutional Court set April 9th as the date for a third hearing.

Meanwhile, the plaintiff appealed to the court to delay the third hearing as the court's final ruling could affect the outcome of the April 15th general election.

However, the court dismissed the request.

Parliamentary prosecutors asked the court's nine justices to review all possible records and question witnesses they will put forward in reference to a ruling that will decide whether the suspended president will continue his duties.

The court's president and one of the nine justices, Yun Young-chul, said he would announce the justices' decision on the demands during the court's next hearing scheduled.