South Korean Constitutional Court upholds impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

On Friday, in a unanimous vote, South Korea’s Constitutional Court upheld the December 2024 impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, officially ending his bid to remain in power.

Under South Korean law, a snap election must be held by June 3 to choose Yoon’s successor. In the meantime, Acting President Han Duck-soo will carry out the duties of the presidency.

Yoon apologized to members of his political party, the People Power Party (PPP), as well as to his supporters. He added, “It has been a great honor to serve the Republic of Korea. I am deeply grateful to all of you who supported and encouraged me, despite my many shortcomings.”

Many such supporters protested outside during Yoon’s trial, calling, “Impeachment is invalid!” and accusing the Court of destroying the country’s democracy.

During the trial, Yoon claimed that South Korea had been infiltrated by Chinese and North Korean spies and that the country’s elections had been rigged. According to the BBC, there was no evidence that foreign spies had infiltrated the government. Nevertheless, unverified claims of such infiltration have gained traction among far-right groups, with thousands of protesters regularly demonstrating in central Seoul to denounce politicians, judges, and the electoral system.

The impeachment stemmed from an incident on December 3, in which Yoon declared martial law and ordered soldiers to enter Parliament, leading to clashes between lawmakers, demonstrators, and soldiers outside the National Assembly building. The order declaring martial law remained in effect for only a few hours before the South Korean Parliament overturned it, but the episode sent shockwaves through the nation, stirring memories of past authoritarian rule. Parliament voted to impeach and suspend Yoon on December 14. Yoon faces criminal charges of insurrection.