Yoon was suspended by lawmakers over his attempt in December to subvert civilian rule [Getty]
South Korea’s Constitutional Court unanimously ruled on Friday to remove impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol from office over his disastrous martial law declaration, triggering fresh elections after months of political turmoil.
Yoon, 64, was suspended by lawmakers over his 3 December attempt to subvert civilian rule, which saw armed soldiers deployed to parliament. He was also arrested on insurrection charges as part of a separate criminal case.
Millions of Koreans watched the Constitutional Court hand down its verdict live on television, with the country’s main messaging app KakaoTalk telling AFP that some users were experiencing delays due to a sudden surge in traffic.
“Given the serious negative impact and far-reaching consequences of the respondent’s constitutional violations… [We] dismiss respondent President Yoon Suk Yeol,” acting court President Moon Hyung-bae said while delivering the ruling.
Yoon’s removal, which is effective immediately, triggers fresh presidential elections, which must be held within 60 days. Authorities will announce a date in the coming days.
Outside the court, AFP reporters heard Yoon supporters shouting threats that they wanted to kill the judges, who decided unanimously to uphold Yoon’s impeachment, and have been given additional security protection by police.
Yoon’s actions “violate the core principles of the rule of law and democratic governance”, the judges said in their ruling.
Yoon sending armed soldiers to parliament in a bid to prevent lawmakers from voting down his decree “violated the political neutrality of the armed forces”.
He deployed troops for “political purposes”, the judges added.
“In the end, the respondent’s unconstitutional and illegal acts are a betrayal of the people’s trust and constitute a serious violation of the law that cannot be tolerated,” they ruled.
Yoon is the second South Korean leader to be impeached by the court after Park Geun-hye in 2017.
South Korea has spent the four months since the martial law declaration without an effective head of state, as the opposition impeached Yoon’s stand-in, acting president Han Duck-soo – only for him to be later reinstated by a court ruling.
After the court decision on Friday, National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik said “we have reaffirmed that no one in the Republic of Korea can be above the law”.
“We have made clear the principle that any power that commits unconstitutional or illegal acts must be held accountable,” Woo said.
Yoon also faces a separate criminal trial on charges of insurrection over the martial law bid.
Han will remain as acting president until the new elections are held.
(AFP)
