Yoon Suk-yeol Removed From Office After Impeachment Verdict
President Yoon Suk-yeol was officially removed from office on April 4 after South Korea’s Constitutional Court unanimously upheld his impeachment, ending months of political unrest and division.
In an 8-0 decision, Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae announced the ruling at 11:22 a.m., stripping Yoon of his presidential powers immediately. The decision came 111 days after the National Assembly impeached Yoon on Dec. 14 over his failed attempt to impose martial law.
“The defendant, President Yoon Suk-yeol, is impeached,” Moon declared. “The defendant mobilized the military and police to undermine constitutional institutions and abandoned his duty to protect the Constitution by violating the basic human rights of the people.”
Yoon’s controversial Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, which sent troops to the National Assembly and ordered soldiers to forcibly remove lawmakers, shocked the nation. He claimed the move was necessary to combat threats from “North Korean communist forces” and “antistate forces,” but the court rejected his arguments, calling his actions a “grave betrayal of the people’s trust.”
“The benefit of protecting the Constitution by expelling the defendant is overwhelmingly greater than the national loss caused by removing the president from his position,” Moon said.
Yoon, a former prosecutor who rose to national prominence for his role in impeaching ex-President Park Geun-hye in 2017, now shares a similar fate. Following the ruling, Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo pledged to maintain stability in security and diplomacy. He added that preparations for a new presidential election, required within 60 days, would proceed according to the Constitution. On April 8, it was announced that the election will take place on June 3.
Yoon expressed regret over his removal in a statement released through his lawyers.
“I deeply regret not being able to live up to your hopes and expectations,” he said. “It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve our nation.”
The court’s ruling sparked mass protests and celebrations across Seoul. Thousands of Yoon’s supporters rallied in the rain near the presidential residence, chanting, “Impeachment is invalid!” and “Nullify the snap election!” Meanwhile, his critics, who gathered near the court, cheered and hugged in the streets once the verdict was announced.
Yoon’s conservative People Power Party said it would respect the court’s ruling and focus on serving the public moving forward.
Luis Apolo Staff Reporter teen/1744680851/1613367592
1. What was the Constitutional Court’s decision regarding the impeachment vote?
2. Why was President Yoon impeached by the National Assembly?
3. Who is currently serving as Acting President of South Korea?
4. When is the next presidential election scheduled to take place?
1. Do you think the court’s decision helped protect democracy in South Korea? Why or why not?
2. How might Yoon’s removal impact the upcoming presidential election?
3. Why is it important for leaders to protect constitutional rights and human rights?
4. How can countries ensure their leaders are held accountable to the Constitution?
President Yoon Suk-yeol was officially removed from office on April 4 after South Korea’s Constitutional Court unanimously upheld his impeachment, ending months of political unrest and division.
