South Korea's Yoon Suk Yeol ousted from office
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The South Korean court unanimously approved the ousting of Yoon Suk Yeol, and the country must now vote for the next president within the next 60 days.
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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, on December 3, 2024 (AP)
A South Korean court has decided to uphold the ousting of the impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol from office, ending his presidency after he declared martial law in December 2024.
The South Korean Constitutional Court unanimously ruled to remove the impeached president from office on Friday, with Justice Moon Hyung-bae stating that Yoon took actions that are beyond the powers provided in South Korean law, and that the former president's actions inflicted serious damage to the country's stability.
Moon, the court’s acting president, stated that Yoon’s declaration of martial law also undermined the judiciary’s independence. Yoon “did not merely declare martial law, but went on to commit acts that violated the constitution and the law, including mobilising military and police forces to obstruct the national assembly’s exercise of its authority," Chief Justice Moon stated.
With the removal of Yoon from presidency, the acting president, Han Duck-soo will remain in office as acting president until South Korea elects its new president within the next 60 days.
The now-ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol released a message following his dismissal, saying:
"Dear beloved citizens, it has been a great honour to work for the Republic of Korea. I deeply thank all of you who have supported and encouraged me despite my many shortcomings. I am very sorry and regretful that I could not live up to your expectations. I will always pray for our beloved Republic of Korea and its citizens."
The People Power Party, Yoon Suk Yeol's party, accepted the court's verdict, “It is regrettable, but the People Power party solemnly accepts and humbly respects the constitutional court’s decision,” legislator and party member Kwon Young-se stated, adding that the party extens its "sincere apology to the people.”
The leader of the South Korean opposition and poll frontrunner, Lee Jae-myung, praised the court's ruling removing the impeached president from office, stating that the ousted president “destroyed the constitution and threatened the people and democracy with the guns and knives entrusted to him by the people," according to AFP.
Yoon still faces a criminal trial for the serious charge of leading an insurrection over the December martial law declaration. Although this charge is one of only two that presidents are not immune from, prosecutors, now emboldened by the constitutional court verdict and his return to civilian status, are expected to pursue the case aggressively.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, was stripped of his presidential duties by parliament on December 14 after a brief declaration of martial law, which plunged the nation into its worst political crisis in decades.
