South Korea’s top court on Friday unanimously ruled to remove impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol from office following his controversial martial law declaration, prompting new presidential elections after months of political unrest. Yoon, 64, was suspended by lawmakers in December after he attempted to undermine civilian rule by deploying armed soldiers to parliament. He also faces charges of insurrection in a separate criminal case.
Millions of South Koreans watched the Constitutional Court’s ruling live on television, with the country’s main messaging app, Kakao Talk, reporting delays due to a surge in user traffic. “Given the serious negative impact and far-reaching consequences of the respondent’s constitutional violations… we dismiss President Yoon Suk Yeol,” said acting court President Moon Hyung-bae while delivering the decision.
Yoon’s removal, effective immediately, triggers the need for fresh presidential elections to be held within 60 days, with authorities expected to announce a date soon.
Outside the court, AFP reporters overheard Yoon supporters shouting threats against the judges, who unanimously upheld Yoon’s impeachment. The judges have been given extra security protection by police. The ruling emphasized that Yoon’s actions “violated the core principles of the rule of law and democratic governance,” and sending armed troops to parliament to prevent lawmakers from voting on his decree was a direct breach of the political neutrality of the armed forces.
The court declared Yoon’s deployment of troops for political purposes as unconstitutional, marking it as a severe betrayal of the people’s trust. Opposition lawmakers cheered and clapped at the ruling, calling it “historic,” while members of Yoon’s party silently filed out of the courtroom.
In a brief statement after the verdict, Yoon apologized for failing to meet the expectations of the people.
Yoon becomes the second South Korean leader to be impeached by the court, following Park Geun-hye’s impeachment in 2017. The case followed weeks of tense hearings and public unrest, with judges deliberating for over a month.
Security was heightened in Seoul on Friday, with police surrounding the courthouse and deploying special operations teams. Outside, anti-Yoon protesters gathered to watch the live broadcast, erupting in loud cheers and tears when Yoon’s removal was confirmed. “When the dismissal was declared, the cheers were so loud it felt like the rally was being swept away,” said Kim Min-ji, a 25-year-old protester.
Despite his removal, Yoon still retains the support of a staunch faction of followers. Some Yoon supporters outside his residence expressed their anger, while a few even died by self-immolation in protest of the impeachment.
“This decision underscores the resilience of South Korean democracy,” said Byunghwan Son, a professor at George Mason University. “The fact that the system did not collapse suggests that Korean democracy can survive even the worst challenges — like a coup attempt.”
Following the ruling, portraits of Yoon were removed from military offices, in accordance with defense ministry regulations that require the commander-in-chief’s image to be displayed in military locations.
The Korean won surged against the US dollar after the decision, and the KOSPI index rose 0.35%. For the past four months, South Korea has functioned without an effective head of state, as the opposition’s impeachment of Yoon’s temporary replacement had also been contested in court. The leadership vacuum coincided with a series of national crises, including a deadly aviation disaster and the country’s most severe wildfires in history.
This week, South Korea also faced a new 25% tariff on exports to the United States after President Donald Trump implemented global reciprocal levies.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik commented on the ruling, stating, “We have reaffirmed that no one in the Republic of Korea can be above the law.” He added, “This ruling makes clear that any power that engages in unconstitutional or illegal acts must be held accountable.”
Yoon now faces a separate trial for insurrection over his martial law attempt, while acting President Han Duck-soo will remain in office until new elections are held.