South Korea’s Constitutional Court is set to deliver its long-awaited ruling on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment this Friday, months after he was suspended for declaring martial law. Yoon’s attempt to undermine civilian rule on December 3, which involved sending armed troops into Parliament, plunged the country into political turmoil.
Despite the military presence, lawmakers defied the troops and voted to reject the measure, leading to Yoon’s impeachment soon after. However, the prolonged political instability has taken a toll on South Korea’s economy, leaving the nation in a leadership crisis, especially with U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats targeting the region.
The court has conducted weeks of impeachment hearings to determine whether Yoon should be officially removed from office, followed by weeks of deliberation, fueling speculation that the justices may be deeply divided. “The president’s impeachment case verdict will be on April 4, 2025, at the Constitutional Court,” the court said in a statement on Tuesday.
For Yoon to be removed, at least six of the court’s eight justices must vote in favor. If his impeachment is confirmed, elections must be held within 60 days.
Throughout this period, hundreds of thousands of South Koreans have rallied for and against Yoon every weekend in central Seoul. Yoon, a former prosecutor, was detained in January on insurrection charges but was released in early March on procedural grounds. He has remained defiant, blaming the opposition for what he calls a “malicious” attack against him. Yoon is also the first sitting South Korean president to face trial on criminal charges related to his martial law attempt.
Possible Fresh Elections?
“After four long months of waiting, the Constitutional Court has finally responded to the people,” said a spokesperson for the opposition Democratic Party. “We believe the Court will show its commitment to defending the constitutional order by removing Yoon Suk Yeol, the insurrectionist, from office.”
Yoon’s People Power Party expressed support for the court’s decision to issue a ruling, hoping for a fair and impartial verdict that won’t lead to further social unrest. “We will respect and accept the court’s decision. After the ruling, both the ruling and opposition parties must work to ease public divisions and foster national unity,” said Kweon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party.
If the Constitutional Court removes Yoon from office, it will trigger elections, with opposition leader Lee Jae-myung currently the frontrunner. Last week, an appeals court overturned an election law conviction against Lee, possibly clearing the way for him to run for president. However, if the conviction is reinstated before the election, Lee would lose his parliamentary seat and be barred from running for five years, including the next presidential election.
Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, noted that the ruling on Lee may be seen by many as a sign of political maneuvering. “This is the judiciary trying to untangle the legal battles of the past three years, allowing South Korea’s political crisis to be resolved through an election rather than by the courts.”
In a separate case last week, the Constitutional Court dismissed the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, reinstating him as acting president—a role he assumed after Yoon’s suspension for declaring martial law. However, experts pointed out that the ruling had no direct legal impact on Yoon’s impeachment, as it did not address the legality of the martial law declaration itself.