Tag: impeachment

The only thing I find surprising by this ruling was that it was unanimous:

The Constitutional Court unanimously upheld the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, removing him from office over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December.

The verdict, which was read by acting court chief Moon Hyung-bae and televised live, took effect immediately, requiring the country to hold a snap presidential election to pick Yoon’s successor within 60 days, which many expect to fall on June 3.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link., but considering all the judges voted in support of impeachment then why did it take so long to reach this decision?

I hope it doesn’t happen, but at this point I would be shocked if violence of some kind does not happen after the impeachment decision. I think the violence will be less if Yoon is impeached and greater if he is retained:

Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Wednesday urged politicians to avoid making divisive remarks that could lead to violence on Friday, when the Constitutional Court is scheduled to deliver its ruling on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment.

Han’s remark comes amid a deepening partisan rift observed in the National Assembly, coupled with the political turmoil that has gripped the nation since Yoon’s martial law decree in December.

“Now is a time to prioritize the stability and survival of our community over political gain,” Han said during a meeting attended by the heads of the justice, science, defense and interior ministries. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon also attended the meeting, as did the chiefs of police and firefighting agencies.

“I earnestly plead with you to refrain from remarks that can provoke or incite illegal protests or violence. Please show a responsible attitude that contributes to social cohesion rather than (prompting) division and conflict,” he added.

Concerns have mounted over the possibility of violence and clashes on Friday between pro- and anti-Yoon protesters as well as conflict between demonstrators and the police.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.

This weekend would be a good time for Americans in South Korea to keep a low profile because the potential for violence caused by the upcoming Constitutional Court ruling is a probability:

The U.S. Embassy in Seoul advised American citizens in South Korea on Wednesday to avoid large crowds or demonstrations ahead of the Constitutional Court’s verdict on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment. 

The notice came as the top court is set to rule on Yoon’s impeachment over his brief imposition of martial law on Dec. 3. 

“In connection with the Constitutional Court’s verdict on the impeachment of President Yoon, U.S. citizens should anticipate large-scale demonstrations and an increased police presence,” the embassy said in a posting on X. 

“Avoid areas where demonstrations are taking place, and exercise caution in the vicinity of any large crowds, gatherings, protests, or rallies,” it said.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Any bets on if there will be violent riots by anti-Yoon leftists this weekend if Yoon is reinstated or by pro-Yoon protesters if the impeachment is upheld?:

The Constitutional Court said it will deliver its ruling on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment at 11 a.m. Friday, raising hopes of an end to the political turmoil that has gripped the nation since his short-lived imposition of martial law in December.

The verdict will be delivered from the court and live broadcasts will be allowed, along with the attendance of members of the public, the court said in a notice to the press Tuesday.

The ruling will come nearly four months after Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly on charges of violating the Constitution and laws through his brief imposition of martial law on Dec. 3.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

The impeachment charges against Han have been dropped which has caused him to be reinstated as the interim President:

The Constitutional Court dismissed the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Monday, reinstating him as acting president in the ongoing turmoil over suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol’s brief imposition of martial law.

Han’s impeachment was dismissed in a 5-1 vote by the court’s eight justices. Two justices voted to reject the impeachment motion entirely.

The ruling came three months after the National Assembly impeached the prime minister and then acting president over his alleged role in Yoon’s Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, among other reasons.

Four of the five justices who voted to dismiss Han’s impeachment acknowledged there were violations of the Constitution and the law in his decision to defer the appointment of additional justices to the court, but noted it did not justify his removal from office.

As the only justice to uphold the impeachment, however, Justice Chung Kye-sun said the violations were “serious” enough to warrant his dismissal.

You can read more at the link, but I think people should not read too much into this dismissal as it relates to impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol. None of the justices believed that Han had anything to do with the martial law declaration:

The six justices who voted to either dismiss or uphold the impeachment said there was no evidence to back the National Assembly’s accusations that Han took proactive action to give legitimacy to Yoon’s martial law bid, such as by convening a Cabinet meeting ahead of its declaration.

For Yoon to get his charges dismissed he needed to convince the judges that his martial law declaration did not violate the ROK constitution and laws which is very different charges than what Han was facing. With Han impeachment decision now completed it will be interesting to see if the Constitutional Court releases their decision on Yoon at the end of the week.

It seems to me that if this impeachment decision is being released on Monday that Yoon’s impeachment decision will likely be later in the week:

The Constitutional Court said Thursday it will deliver its ruling on Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s impeachment over martial law-related allegations next week.

The verdict will be announced at 10 a.m. Monday, the court said in a notice to the press, three months after he was impeached by the National Assembly over a string of allegations related to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed bid to impose martial law in December.

If the impeachment motion is upheld, Han will be removed from office. If it is dismissed, he will be reinstated.

Under the Constitution, the consent of at least six justices is required to uphold an impeachment motion. There are currently eight justices on the bench.

The motion against Han lists five reasons for his impeachment, including his alleged involvement in imposing martial law, his refusal to appoint additional justices to the Constitutional Court, and his refusal to promulgate two special counsel bills targeting Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

If the decision is released this week it will be interesting to see if any riots happen:

The spotlight is now on the Constitutional Court as it prepares to rule on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment case. There is widespread speculation that the court will announce its final decision this week, determining whether Yoon will be reinstated or removed from office for his Dec. 3 martial law declaration.

Many observers expect the court will announce the ruling date early this week and deliver the verdict sometime between Wednesday and Friday, following the timeline of previous presidential impeachments.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

Korea is a country where judges tend to factor in public sentiment when making decisions. That is why you see both the DPK and PPP trying hard to court public opinon against and for Yoon before the court’s impeachment decision:

Police buses surround the Constitutional Court in central Seoul, Wednesday, to prevent violent clashes as a verdict on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment nears. Yonhap

As political gridlock deepens over the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, meaningful policy debate has all but vanished from Korea’s political landscape.

Following Yoon’s sudden release from detention last week ahead of the Constitutional Court’s ruling, both the ruling and opposition parties have escalated their rhetoric, with loud protests now dominating the National Assembly. With the Assembly’s role as a national representative body increasingly sidelined, concerns are mounting that the growing partisan conflict will not only undermine the court’s decision but further destabilize the country, according to experts.

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) said Wednesday that it would not directly confront the opposition’s escalating street protests calling for Yoon’s impeachment.

“If serious issues arise, the PPP will take collective action, just as the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has. However, we will not resort to street protests or hunger strikes to pressure the Constitutional Court, as the DPK is doing. Instead, we will express our stance through official parliamentary channels,” PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong told reporters at the National Assembly in Seoul.

However, the conservative party’s decision appears to be driven more by political strategy than policy concerns. The party seems cautious that organizing an official rally could give a platform to the more extreme voices within Yoon’s support base, potentially alienating centrist voters, whose support is already fragile.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.