Seoul, South Korea – the Constitutional Court of South Korea has been removed The president dismissed Yoon Suk Yeol From his duties on Friday, ending his tumultuous presidency and organizing elections to find a new leader, four months after throwing South Korean politics into a turmoil with an unhappy Martial law declaration.
The unanimous verdict crowned a dramatic fall for Yoon, a former star prosecutor who went from the political novice to the president in 2022, only one year after his entry into politics.
In a national television verdict, the interim chief of the court, Moon Hyung-Bae, said that the bench of eight members had confirmed the dismissal of Yoon because his decree of martial law had seriously violated the Constitution and other laws.
“The accused not only declared martial law, but also violated the Constitution and the laws by mobilizing military and police forces to hinder the exercise of the legislative authority,” said Moon. “In the end, the declaration of martial law in this case violated the substantial requirements of the emergency martial law.”
“Given the serious negative impact on the constitutional order and the significant undulation effects of the accused’s violations, we note that the advantages of maintaining the Constitution by removing the defendant of the office prevail from afar on the national losses of the abolition of a president,” concluded the judge.
During an anti-Yoon rally near the former royal palace which dominates the city center of Seoul, people broke out in tears and danced when the verdict was announced. Two women were crying while they were hugging and an old man near them jumped on his feet and shouted with joy.
Pedro Pardo / AFP via Getty Images
Later, the crowd started walking in the streets of Seoul. Some people were dressed in pretty blue bear costumes, a protest mascot that uses the colors of the opposition.
Outside the official Yoon residence, thousands of supporters shouted and shouted when they saw the news of the verdict on a giant television screen. They agitated South Korean and American flags and chanted slogans.
“We will not be shaken!” A protest leader shouted on stage. “Whoever accepts this decision and is preparing for a first presidential election is our enemy.”
No major violence was immediately reported.
What is the next step for South Korea
An election will be held in the two months to replace Yoon, but a national fracture by the dismissal of Yoon will probably continue and could complicate the efforts of South Korea to deal with President Trump’s “America First” policies and to North KoreaAccording to Russia observers, observers.
Yoon said in a press release published via his defense team which he deeply regretted not meeting the expectations of the public, but ceased to explicitly accept the verdict. He was feared that he encourages the efforts to resist his withdrawal, because he swore earlier to fight to the end.
He added that he would pray for the country and his people. “It was the greatest honor of my life to serve our nation,” said Yoon.
Yoon’s power of the power of the People’s Power said that he would accept the decision, but one of Yoon’s lawyers, Yoon Kap-Keun, described the decision as “completely incomprehensible” and a “pure political decision”.
Prime Minister Han Duck-Soo, the country’s head of the country, has promised a television speech to guarantee “there is no gaps in national security and diplomacy” and maintain public security and order. Han was appointed Prime Minister, head No. 2 of the country, by Yoon.
“By respecting the will of our sovereign people, I will do my best to manage the next presidential election in accordance with the Constitution and the Law, ensuring a smooth transition to the next administration,” said Han.
The surveys show that Lee Jae-Myung, leader of the principal Liberal Democratic Party of the opposition, is the first favorite to win the election to choose the successor to Yoon. Lee faces trials for corruption and other accusations.
Lee hosted the decision and credited the South Korean people for having “protected our Democratic Republic”.
“The courage of the people who stood in the face of firearms, swords and tanks, as well as the bravery of the troops which refused to obey unjust orders, led to this great revolution of light,” said Lee.
The nation still in shock from the brief taxation of martial law
The martial law only lasted six hours, but left a political crisis, to wink and to a disorder of diplomatic partners in the country. In January, Yoon was arrested separately and charged by prosecutors for alleged rebellion in connection with his decree, an accusation which brought the death penalty or a perpetuity sentence if it was found guilty.
Under Yoon’s decree, the first of its kind in more than 40 years, hundreds of soldiers have been sent to the Assembly, to electoral offices and to other sites. Special operations soldiers broke the windows of the National Assembly and escaped citizens gathered to protest, shocking the South Koreans and evoking traumatic memories of the military regime.
Enough legislators, some of which in the ruling party, managed to enter the Assembly to vote unanimously on its decree.
No major violence occurred during the brief period of martial law, but some high police officers and police officers sent to the Assembly said that Yoon had ordered them to drag the legislators to block a vote on his decree or to hold his political rivals. Yoon says that the troops were deployed in the assembly simply to maintain order.
Yoon, 64, curator, was dismissed by the National Liberal Assembly controlled by the opposition on December 14. The Assembly accused him of violating the Constitution and other laws by removing the activities of the Assembly, trying to hold politicians and undergoing peace across the country.
In his latest testimony during the hearing of the Constitutional Court, Yoon said that his decree was a desperate attempt to draw public support from his fight against the “wickedness” of the Democratic Party, which had hampered his program, dismissed the senior officials and reduced the government’s budget bill. He previously called the National Assembly “a lain of criminals” and “anti-state forces”.
Some experts say that Yoon may have imposed a military regime to trigger a possible independent investigation into the scandals involving his wife, Kim Keon Hee.
Without presidential immunity, Yoon could face other criminal charges, such as abuse of power. He is the first South Korean president to be arrested or charged during his mandate.
Yoon was the Attorney General under his predecessor, Liberal President Moon Jae-in, before joining the party now rolled in 2021 following disputes with allies of the Moon. A public image as strong in mind and without compromise helped him to defeat Lee during the presidential election closely in 2022. But after having become president, Yoon faced critics that he refused to replace the officials involved in the scandals and opposed his veto to numerous bills adopted by the Assembly.