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The Constitutional Court of South Korea has removed Yoon Suk Yeol as president, supporting the impeachment of the former harsh prosecutor’s parliament.
The YON’s attempt to impose military law last year led to its suspension from office and caused political unrest in Asia’s fourth economy.
The resulting leadership vacuum has paralyzed the government as it should deal with a slow economy, aggressive American trade policies and a growing nuclear threat from North Korea.
What did the court ruled?
Judges unanimously support the view of lawmakers of lawmakers that Yoon exceeded his powers with his shocking statement of military law in December.
The South Korean Constitution allows the President to declare military law “when he is required to face a military necessity or to maintain public security and order with the mobilization of military forces in the wartime, armed conflict or similar national emergency.”
But the opposition -controlled national assembly argued in his December blaming motion that the country had not experienced an emergency of the severity required to justify a decree of military law, a position now adopted by the Constitutional Court.
The motion also accused YOON of procedural violations, including its placement of soldiers to attack the National Assembly in a noticeable attempt to prevent lawmakers’ voting to reject military law.
In his latest defense before the Constitutional Court in February, Yoon argued that his decree was needed to “warn the public” of the “wickedness” of the left opposition and what he described as “external forces, including North Korea, along with anti-state elements within our society”.
But on Friday the court ruled with an 8-0 difference that YON had “abandoned its duty to support the Constitution and severely betray the faith of the Korean people”.
HAPPENSE What happens to yoon?
After his blaming in December, Yoon was suspended from the exercise of his constitutional duties, but remained as the country’s nominal president and head of state.
Friday’s decision removed him from office with immediate effect, making him an ordinary private citizen. South Korean one-mandate for presidents means that he cannot seek re-election. Yoon also faces charges of criminal uprising about his attempt to impose military law, which he denies.
A verdict in his criminal trial, which will begin on April 14, is expected later this year or early 2026. If convicted, YOON in theory may face life imprisonment or even death sentence, though South Korea has not executed anyone since 1997.
Who will replace yoon?
According to the South Korean Constitution, a presidential choice to elect Yoon’s successor must be held within 60 days.
Lee Jae-Myung, a factory-converted combat worker who leads the Democratic Party of the left opposition, is ahead of the polls. He was defeated by Yoon with less than one percentage point in the 2022 presidential election.
Claimants from the conservative party of the people of Yoon include Labor Minister Kim Moon-Soo, Seuli Oh SE-HONE, DAGU Hong Joon-Pyo leader and former party leader Han Dong-Hoon.
While the Democratic Party Lee is widely seen as a precursor, he also faces legal challenges. Prosecutors are appealing a recent Judgment of the Supreme Court by clearing it to make false statements during an election campaign.
He will also stay in court this month on the channel charges in North Korea funds.
Sentences in both cases may prohibit Lee from the Public Office, although it is unclear what would happen if he is elected president before the trials are over. He denies all the wrongdoings.
To whom is it on top for now?
Prime Minister Han Duck-Soo, an appointed yoon and long-serving technocrats, will continue as president of office until the election.
Han, who took over as the President of the President immediately after the Yoon was blamed, was suspended for several months from the end of December after the opposition parties voted to blame him for his refusal to fill three free points in the Constitutional Court nine members.
The role of the president’s official then fell to Choi Sang-Mok, the country’s finance minister, who filled two of the three free points in the Constitutional Court.
Last month, the court overturned the impeachment of Hani, returning him as prime minister and president.
Will this political crisis of South Korea end?
Friday’s decision brings out South Korea closer to addressing her leadership vacuum, but the tensions raised by the Martial Law of YOon are unlikely to be distributed soon.
Yoon’s Impeachment supporters and opponents have held regular demonstrations across the country. Some pro-Yonic protests have been marked by violence, with fierce conservatives attacking a Seoul court after he was arrested on January.
The increasingly wild theories of the plot have been circulating among the Yoon loyalists, including a widely unfounded claim divided on social media that Chinese nationals had been caught violating South Korean election systems and then expelled through a US military base.
The Democratic Party’s Lee is also a deeply polarizing figure. He went on a hunger strike in 2023 to protest what he described as the “Yoon Prosecutor’s Office dictatorship”.
Last year, Lee was stabbed by a public member, and in recent weeks, he has made several public appearances by wearing a bulletproof vest.
Han, the President of Duty and the People’s Party Power has previously pledged to accept the decision of the Constitutional Court. Some analysts said the anger among the conservatives may be limited as attention quickly returns who will emerge as the standard standor of law.
