South Korea’s Constitutional Court has unanimously ruled to remove President Yoon Suk Yeol from office following his controversial martial law declaration, which plunged the country into political turmoil and sparked global concern.
Yoon, 64, was suspended by lawmakers after ordering armed soldiers to enter parliament on December 3 in what has been described as an attempt to subvert civilian rule. He was also arrested on separate insurrection charges.
Millions of citizens tuned in to the live broadcast of the court’s verdict, which crashed servers on KakaoTalk, the country’s most popular messaging app, due to an unprecedented spike in traffic.
“Given the serious negative impact and far-reaching consequences of the respondent’s constitutional violations… the court dismisses President Yoon Suk Yeol,” acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae declared.
Goon’s dismissal is effective immediately. Presidential elections must now be held within 60 days, with the official date expected to be announced shortly.
Outside the courthouse, security was intensified as police protected judges from threats made by Yoon’s supporters. Demonstrators called for violence against the judiciary, prompting increased protection.
The court stated that Yoon’s decision to deploy armed troops for political purposes “violated the political neutrality of the armed forces” and “betrayed the people’s trust.”
“His actions are a grave violation of the law that cannot be tolerated,” the judges added.
This marks the second time in South Korea’s history that a sitting president has been removed by the court, following Park Geun-hye’s impeachment in 2017.
Opposition lawmakers celebrated the ruling, calling it “historic,” while Yoon’s party members left the courtroom in silence. In a brief statement, Yoon apologized for “failing to meet the people’s expectations.”
Anti-Yoon protesters gathered outside the court, many of them crying and cheering when the verdict was announced.
“We cried tears and shouted that we, the citizens, had won,” said Kim Min-ji, a 25-year-old protester.
Meanwhile, pro-Yoon supporters outside his residence expressed outrage, with some in tears. At least two of his supporters have died by self-immolation in protest of the impeachment.
Goin, who claimed his martial law attempt was to “eliminate anti-state forces,” still holds significant backing from extremist loyalists.
Political analyst Byunghwan Son described the ruling as a victory for democratic resilience.
“The very fact that the system did not collapse suggests that Korean democracy can survive even the worst challenge against it — a coup attempt,” he said.
Military offices are expected to remove portraits of Yoon, in line with defence ministry regulations which require the display of the sitting commander-in-chief.