Yoon ousted as president by Korean Constitutional Court

South Korea’s Constitutional Court on Friday ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, upholding a parliamentary motion to impeach him over his Dec. 3 martial law declaration, which the judges deemed a denial of democracy in their unanimous ruling.

Yoon became the second South Korean president to be removed from office through impeachment, after Park Geun-hye in 2017. The judgment, delivered amid tight security around the courthouse in Seoul, had been closely awaited by both his opponents and supporters following the court’s final hearing in February.

An election to choose a new president must be held within 60 days. Yoon’s five-year term was set to end in May 2027 and local media reported the election is expected to be held on June 3.

The court currently has eight judges, with one seat vacant. The support of at least six was required to uphold the impeachment motion.

In the ruling, which was broadcast live, the court’s acting chief Moon Hyung Bae said, “The martial law (declaration) violated the substantive requirements” for an emergency decree.”

The situation at the parliament then cannot justify the exercise of power for an emergency,” Moon said.

Yoon claimed his brief declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 was a reasonable measure as the main opposition Democratic Party controlling the parliament had paralyzed state affairs by repeatedly submitting impeachment motions against officials in his administration and attempting to cut government spending.

Yoon, who did not appear at the court Friday, released a message via his legal team, saying, “I am very sorry for not meeting public expectations.”

“It has been the greatest honor to serve the Republic of Korea. I am deeply grateful to all of you who supported and encouraged me, despite my many shortcomings,” he said, referring to the official name of South Korea.

Responding to the court ruling, Prime Minister and Acting President Han Duck Soo said he took the judgment with great seriousness.

“I will ensure that there are no gaps in national security,” said Han, who was also impeached over his alleged tacit approval of Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law but was reinstated in March after the court’s dismissal of a parliamentary impeachment motion.

“I will do my utmost to ensure the next government can take office without delay, strictly in line with the Constitution and the law,” Han said.

Yoon’s authority had been suspended since the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion in mid-December.

The motion, submitted by opposition parties, alleged that he imposed martial law without meeting constitutional requirements, such as signs of imminent war or a comparable national crisis.

The court held 11 hearings since January, with Yoon appearing in person several times.In Friday’s ruling, Moon said that Yoon “denied the principles of popular sovereignty and democracy” also by deploying soldiers and police to obstruct the parliament’s “exercise of its constitutional authority” to hold an emergency session on the decree.

As the parliament approved a resolution demanding that martial law, which Yoon imposed on the night of Dec. 3, be lifted, he rescinded the decree early the next day.

“The respondent’s acts represented a betrayal of the trust given to him as president by the people,” Moon said.

“By declaring the state of martial law in violation of the Constitution and the law, the respondent has revived the history of abuse of emergency powers, shocking the public and causing chaos across all sectors.”

Jung Cheong Rae, head of the National Assembly’s impeachment committee, called the court decision a “victory for the Constitution and democracy.”

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae Myung, who narrowly lost the 2022 presidential race to Yoon, is expected to be the party’s candidate again for the upcoming presidential election and is widely seen as the most powerful contender.

“We will strive to restore the livelihoods, peace, economy, and democracy that have been damaged” by the chaos caused by the martial law imposition, Lee said, welcoming the court’s judgment.

Kwon Young Se, the interim leader of Yoon’s People Power Party, said it accepts the court decision and vowed efforts to settle down the political crisis the country has been facing.

Local media have reported that Employment and Labor Minister Kim Moon Soo, Seoul Mayor Oh Se Hoon and former ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong Hoon could also enter the race.