Former President Yoon Suk-yeol Impeached by Constitutional Court
On April 4, 2025, the Constitutional Court unanimously ruled to impeach former President Yoon Suk-yeol, with all eight justices agreeing on the decision. Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae announced the ruling at 11:22 AM, stating, "We hereby remove President Yoon Suk-yeol from office." This decision came 122 days after Yoon declared a state of emergency on December 3 and 111 days after the impeachment motion was filed on December 14 of the previous year.
The court recognized all five key grounds for impeachment, including Yoon's declaration of a state of emergency and the blockade of the National Assembly. The court noted that the conditions for declaring a state of emergency, as outlined in the Constitution and the Emergency Act, were not met, stating, "The actions taken by the National Assembly, such as impeachment motions and legislative reviews, did not create a significant crisis at the time of the emergency declaration."
Furthermore, the court found that Yoon violated procedural requirements for declaring the state of emergency, as he failed to adequately inform cabinet members and did not allow for discussion among them. The court pointed out that the Prime Minister and cabinet members did not endorse the declaration, and the details regarding the implementation of the emergency were not communicated.
The court also ruled that Yoon's attempt to use military forces to block the National Assembly constituted a violation of the Constitution and laws. It was revealed that Yoon instructed the Minister of National Defense to deploy troops to the National Assembly and directed military leaders to forcibly remove lawmakers from the premises.
In addition, the court deemed Yoon's actions, including the issuance of a decree prohibiting political activities by the National Assembly and political parties, as unconstitutional. The court emphasized that Yoon's declaration of emergency and the deployment of military forces represented a betrayal of public trust and a serious violation of constitutional duties.
The court stated, "Yoon's actions undermined the principles of popular sovereignty and democracy, and his disregard for the constitutional order posed a significant threat to the stability of the democratic republic."
Despite Yoon's defense that the emergency was a precautionary measure, the court rejected this argument, asserting that the rapid response of the National Assembly to demand the lifting of the emergency was due to public resistance and the military's passive role, which did not mitigate the severity of Yoon's legal violations.
The court concluded that Yoon's actions had a profound negative impact on the constitutional order and that the benefits of removing him from office outweighed any potential national losses resulting from his impeachment. The court also found no procedural issues in the impeachment process, stating that the National Assembly's decision to withdraw the charge of insurrection did not require special procedures.
While acknowledging the political challenges faced by Yoon due to opposition-led actions in the National Assembly, the court emphasized that such political disputes should be resolved through democratic means and that both the government and the National Assembly should engage in cooperation and dialogue rather than exclusionary tactics.
