South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Impeached, Election Looms

South Korea's Constitutional Court removed impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol from office Friday, ending his tumultuous presidency and setting up an election to find a new leader, four months after he threw South Korean politics into turmoil with an ill-fated declaration of martial law. The unanimous verdict capped a dramatic fall for Yoon, a former star prosecutor who went from political novice to president in 2022, just a year after he entered politics. In a nationally televised verdict, the court's acting chief Moon Hyung-bae said the eight-member bench upheld Yoon's impeachment because his martial law decree seriously violated the constitution and other laws.

“The defendant not only declared martial law, but also violated the constitution and laws by mobilizing military and police forces to obstruct the exercise of legislative authority,” Moon said. “Ultimately, the declaration of martial law in this case violated the substantive requirements for emergency martial law.”

Grave Negative Impact on Constitutional Order

“Given the grave negative impact on constitutional order and the significant ripple effects of the defendant's violations, we find that the benefits of upholding the constitution by removing the defendant from office far outweigh the national losses from the removal of a president,” the justice concluded. At an anti-Yoon rally near the old royal palace that dominates downtown Seoul, people erupted into tears and danced when the verdict was announced. Two women wept as they hugged and a young man leaped for joy, shouting “Justice has been served!” Another demonstrator held up a sign reading “Democracy Triumphs.”

Nation Still Reeling from Brief Imposition of Martial Law

Martial law lasted only six hours, but left behind a political crisis, rattling financial markets and unsettling the country's diplomatic partners. In January, Yoon was separately arrested and indicted by prosecutors on alleged rebellion in connection with his decree, a charge that carries the death penalty or a life sentence if convicted. Under Yoon's decree, the first of its kind in more than 40 years, hundreds of soldiers were dispatched to the assembly, election offices and other sites. Special operations soldiers smashed windows at the National Assembly and scuffled with citizens gathered to protest, shocking South Koreans and evoking traumatic memories of military rule.

Enough lawmakers, including some from the ruling party, managed to enter the assembly to vote down his decree unanimously. No major violence occurred during the brief period of martial law, but some senior military and police officers sent to the assembly have testified that Yoon ordered them to drag out lawmakers to block a vote on his decree or to detain his political rivals. Yoon says the troops were deployed to the assembly simply to maintain order.

Yoon's Downfall: From Prosecutor-General to Impeached President

Yoon, 64, a conservative, was impeached by the liberal opposition-controlled National Assembly on Dec. 14. The assembly accused him of violating the constitution and other laws by suppressing assembly activities, attempting to detain politicians, and undermining peace across the country. In his final testimony at the Constitutional Court hearing, Yoon said his decree was a desperate attempt to draw public support of his fight against the "wickedness" of the Democratic Party, which had obstructed his agenda, impeached top officials and slashed the government's budget bill. He earlier called the National Assembly “a den of criminals” and “anti-state forces.”

Some experts say Yoon may have imposed military rule to head off a possible independent investigation into scandals involving his wife, Kim Keon Hee. Without presidential immunity, Yoon could face other criminal charges, such as abuse of power. He's the first South Korean president to be arrested or indicted while in office.

Yoon served as prosecutor-general under his predecessor, liberal President Moon Jae-in, before joining the now-ruling party in 2021 following disputes with Moon allies. A public image as strong-minded and uncompromising helped him defeat Lee in the close-fought 2022 presidential election. But after becoming president, Yoon has faced criticism that he refused to replace officials implicated in scandals and vetoed many bills passed by the assembly.