South Korea’s constitutional court on Friday upheld President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, removing him four months after briefly imposed martial law on December 3.
Protesters who had been asking his expellers cheered in the ruling, waved flags and snatched fists in the air. In the weeks leading up to the ruling, thousands of people lined up against Mr. Yin and the streets against Mr. Yoon and against Mr. Yoon, often continuing frozen temperatures, rain and snow.
At 11 a.m. local time, the court’s acting chief justice Moon Hyungbae began reading the ruling, which was reviewed for months. About 22 minutes later, he announced that all eight court justices voted to remove Mr. Yoon. Moon said the current former president “betrayed the people’s trust” and “seriously violated the law.”
“It’s an honor for me to me,” Mr Yoon said in a statement issued by his attorney. “I feel sorry and I’m sorry I can’t meet your expectations.”
The court’s ruling is effective immediately and no appeal can be filed.
Why did Mr. Yoon improvise each?
Later on December 3, Mr Yoon declared martial law shocked the country, but lasted only six hours as lawmakers quickly voted to overturn it.
Shortly after he announced the news on live TV, troops ordered the attack on the National Assembly building to “break the door and drag out” members gathered inside to vote to land martial law and arrest key figures, including a spokesman for the floor. Clusters of citizens faced the troops, and some MPs zoomed in to the fence, entered the parliament and voted.
On the same day, Mr Yoon also sent troops to the National Election Commission, which attempted to search and confiscate its database. The court ruled that this violated the constitutional independence guaranteed by the institution.
Judge Moon said that Judge Yong had abused his duties as commander of the state. The martial law order does not meet the constitutional requirements of the national crisis that Mr Yoon repeatedly said, which is one of the reasons why he issued an extraordinary declaration.
The judge said Mr Yoon was eager to implement martial law through a hasty cabinet meeting on the evening of December 3. There was no proper deliberation and he failed to inform the National Assembly as required by law.
Only six of the eight members on the bench needed to vote for the impeachment, but the decision was consistent.
What will happen next?
Acting President Han Duck-soo will continue to take on his role until the country elects a new president through a rapid election. This must be done within 60 days of Friday, meaning at the latest in early June. The National Election Commission is expected to announce the date in the coming days.
The political party will select its candidates through the primary election.
Lee Jae-Myung is the expected leader in leading the opposition Democratic Party. He has been a political rival to Mr Yoon since the last presidential election in 2022, when he lost to the former president by less than 1% of the vote. Mr. Lee has been abolishing the current president’s political efforts in political efforts.
It is unclear who will lead the ruling of the People’s Power Party before the campaign. Its former leader Han Dong-Hoon resigned in December after disagreement with Mr Yoon and his party on martial law.
Oh, Seoul Mayor and Dagu Mayor Hong Joon-Pyo are others who have been suggested as potential candidates.
