In a landmark decision, South Korea’s Constitutional Court has unanimously upheld the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, removing him from office over his controversial declaration of martial law late last year.
Reading the verdict on Friday morning, acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae stated that Yoon had “overstepped his authority” by deploying military and police forces in the capital on December 3, 2024. The court found that Yoon’s actions constituted a serious violation of the Constitution.
“The defendant mobilised military and police forces to dismantle the authority of constitutional institutions and infringed upon the fundamental rights of the people,” said Moon. “In doing so, he abandoned his constitutional duty to uphold the constitution and gravely betrayed the trust of the Korean people.”
The court concluded that the “unlawful and unconstitutional” actions posed significant threats to the rule of law and democratic order. Moon emphasized that the national interest would be best served by Yoon’s removal, despite the costs of dismissing a sitting president.
Anti-Yoon protesters gathered in central Seoul erupted in cheers following the verdict, hailing it as a triumph for democracy. The opposition Democratic Party described the ruling as a “people’s victory.”
“Today marks a historic day when we defended the constitution and safeguarded democracy against the forces that sought to destroy it,” said Cho Seung-rae, senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party.
Meanwhile, Yoon’s ruling People Power Party issued a brief statement acknowledging the court’s decision, stating that it “humbly accepts” the ruling.
President Yoon declared martial law on the night of December 3, alleging infiltration by anti-state and North Korean elements within the government. However, top military and police officials have since testified that he instructed them to detain opposition lawmakers and prevent the National Assembly from convening to vote on the legality of his order.
With the court’s ruling now final, Yoon becomes the second South Korean president in history to be removed from office by impeachment, following the ousting of Park Geun-hye in 2017.
