BREAKING: South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol Impeached by Constitutional Court

President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea has officially been impeached.

On April 4, the Constitutional Court delivered a unanimous verdict in favor of the impeachment motion, resulting in Yoon’s immediate removal from office. He now becomes the second president in South Korean history to be impeached.

The ruling comes 111 days after the National Assembly submitted the impeachment proposal.

Following the court’s decision, Yoon’s presidential powers were immediately suspended. According to Article 68, Clause 2 of the Constitution, a new presidential election must be held within 60 days.

In its decision, the Constitutional Court ruled that both the impeachment process and the grounds for impeachment were constitutionally valid. It emphasized that President Yoon’s unconstitutional actions could not be justified under the pretext of a national emergency.

The National Assembly passed the impeachment bill on December 14 last year, with 204 out of 300 lawmakers voting in favor. The bill, based on Article 65 of the Constitution and Article 130 of the National Assembly Act, accused President Yoon of violating the Constitution and national laws, thereby undermining the foundations of democratic governance.

The impeachment case detailed that on December 3 at approximately 11:30 p.m., President Yoon allegedly declared martial law, mobilized the military and police, and blockaded the National Assembly. These actions were reportedly intended to prevent the legislature from exercising its constitutional right to lift martial law, effectively suppressing the functioning of the legislative branch.

Additionally, Yoon was accused of unlawfully deploying troops to invade the National Election Commission, as well as attempting the illegal arrest of lawmakers, politicians, and journalists.

Get the latest on K-pop & K-drama here!