The Constitutional Court appears determined to decide on the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye before March 13, when its acting chief justice Lee Jung-mi is to retire.

The court made it clear that the final argument by Park -- if she decides to make one -- would not affect the trial schedule.

Her defense team has been trying to prolong the trial. It managed to extend court proceedings by asking for a long list of witnesses, including even those unfavorable to Park.

Lee told the defense Monday to let the court know by Wednesday whether Park will appear in court.

“If Park appears in court, she should do so on a hearing day the court will designate,” Lee said. “If the defense requests an additional hearing after the final hearing, citing the reason that Park will appear in court, the court will not accept such a request.”

Lee’s remark implies that there will be no delay of the trial, nor negotiation with the defense over the president’s appearance.

Park’s defense team had negotiated with the independent counsel over the terms of questioning the president -- only to scuttle its interrogation plan.

The court has set Friday for the final hearing, after which its eight judges will enter the deliberation phase.

If Park lets the court know by Wednesday that she will appear in court, the court reportedly will likely designate Friday or a day early next week for her appearance. It usually takes the court judges about two weeks to write their opinions and proclaim the verdict.

The defense requested Park give a closing statement without being questioned by legal representatives of the National Assembly or the judges. Lee refused the request, citing Article 49 of the Constitutional Court Law that says the National Assembly is entitled to question the defendant in a trial of presidential impeachment.

The National Assembly’s legal team said they were preparing questions they would ask Park at the court, expecting an hourlong examination.

The court has given Park an ultimatum to explain herself. At the start of the trial, she rejected requests for her to testify.

However, the court has reached a point where it cannot wait for her appearance any longer. The speed of the proceedings is as important as impartiality.

About four months have passed since news broke about the corruption scandal, which led to the parliamentary impeachment of Park.

With a void in its leadership, the government has had difficulty in coping with challenges at home and abroad. Social division over the impeachment is also deepening. The people want to end the leadership vacuum as soon as possible.

Park has no time to hesitate. If she wants to clear herself of what she calls incriminating charges against her, she needs to appear in court and dispute them.

Answering questions from legal representatives of the National Assembly and the judges may be uncomfortable, but doing so would better serve her than simply reading a statement. If she refuses to appear in court, she will not be given another chance.

She had tried to vindicate herself through a meeting with Cheong Wa Dae reporters and an interview with an online news outlet. However, during the meeting, she took no questions from reporters and held fast to her thoughts. In the interview, she asserted her innocence to the interviewer.

She promised to cooperate with investigations into the scandal and to face questioning by the special prosecutors. But Cheong Wa Dae blocked them from searching the presidential office and she put a stop to negotiations on their interrogation of her.

The court has now notified Park of her last chance to show up and speak her mind, while blocking attempts to delay the final hearing of the impeachment trial.

From a historical perspective, the head of state has an obligation to tell the truth to the nation for posterity.

It is time for her to explain herself at court and her defense team should know any tactics to extend the trial will be futile.