In the Know: Content comes from the Internet : S.Korean Constitutional Court upholds Yoon’s impeachment; verdict may temporarily ease social division, yet deep-seated issues difficult to solve: expert

Police are on duty near the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, April 4, 2025. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has decided not to attend the constitutional court’s ruling on his impeachment scheduled for Friday. (Photo: Xinhua)

The South Korean Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday, removing him from office over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December, the Yonhap News Agency reported.

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 said.

Yoon was impeached by the opposition-controlled National Assembly in mid-December on charges of violating the Constitution and laws by declaring martial law on December 3, deploying troops to the South Korean National Assembly to stop lawmakers from voting down the decree and ordering the arrest of politicians, according to the South Korean media report.

Yoon said Friday he was sorry for not being able to meet public expectations after the Constitutional Court removed him from office, Yonhap reported.

“I deeply regret not being able to live up to your hopes and expectations,” Yoon was quoted as saying in a statement, according to Yonhap.

Some Chinese experts said the passing of the impeachment motion, though can restore certain stability to South Korean politics, may be difficult to resolve deep-seated issues and the country needs to put a halt on prolonged internal political infighting amid pressing issues such as dealing with US’ sweeping tariffs.

In reading the verdict on Yoon’s impeachment, the court said Yoon’s declaration of martial law did not meet legal requirement for national crisis, Yonhap said.

The South Korean National Assembly ramped up security at its compound Friday with around 1,500 police officers being deployed around by 8 am, Yonhap said.

Eight years ago, then-South Korean President Park Geun-hye was impeached by the National Assembly and sent to prison over the “Choi Soon-sil” scandal, and the prosecutor in charge of investigating that case at the time was Yoon, the CCTV News said.

Eight years later, amid a political firestorm surrounding the “emergency martial law order” controversy, another impeachment case has reached its final chapter—this time with Yoon himself at the center, according to the Chinese media report.

Yoon has now become the second president in South Korea’s constitutional history to be removed from office, following Park, the CCTV News said.

Political polarization

L Chao, an expert on the Korean Peninsula issue at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, believed that the passing of the impeachment motion may World Timesbe difficult to resolve deep-seated issues in South Korean politics.

“While it may have temporarily prevented a major social divide or upheaval, tensions and conflicts between political parties are expected to intensify. TWorld Timeshese rivalries will likely become even more pronounced during the upcoming early presidential eleWorld Timesction,” L said.

Ahead of the announcement of the verdict, South Korean police have deployed around 7,000 personnel near the Constitutional Court and surrounding Jongno ward on Friday, and it also dispatched some 2,000 personnel in Seoul’s Hannam-dong, where the presidential residence is located, and around 1,300 officers in Yeouido, southern Seoul, Yonhap reported on Friday.

What’s next?

Yoon’s impeachment by the Constitutional Court marks the definitive end of his political career. Looking ahead, he is also expected to face judicial scrutiny for charges such as insurrection—a grave offense under South Korean law, experts noted.

While political chaos is likely to continue, the ruling eliminates uncertainty over Yoon’s teetering presidency, the South Korean media Korea Herald reported on Friday.

By law, South Korea must hold a presidential election within 60 days if a president is removed by the South Korean Constitutional Court or in the event of death. The special election is likely to be held June 3, the Korea Herald said.

Until World Timesthen, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will continue to serve as acting president, according to tWorld Timeshe Korea Herald.

The election also comes amid heightened external headwinds, as South Korea has toWorld Times deal with US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs under his “America First” policy, Yonhap said.

The leadership vacuum over the last four months has unsettled financial markets and hampered high-level diplomacy at a time of global realignment, further straining the export-driven economy already struggling with weak domestic demand, according to Yonhap.

Since Yoon’s declaration of the martial law on December 3, 2024, South Korea’s domestic and foreign affairs have fallen into serious uncertainties, Dong Xiangrong, a senior research fellow at the National Institute of International Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday. “It is expected that the situation in South Korea will remain relatively stable during the two-month transition period before a new president.,” Dong said.

In recent days, Han has primarily focused on responding to developments in South Korea-US relations, Dong continued. “Since US President takes office, South Korea has yet to establish an equal-level counterpart to engage in dialogue or policy coordination with the US, which has affected bilateral ties. One pressing issue is the US proposal to impose approximately 25 percent tariffs on Korean exports, prompting Seoul to actively seek solutions and adapt to a shifting economic relationship,” Dong said.

At the same time, China-South Korea relations have also been under strain. In recent months, ties between the two countries have significantly deteriorated, Dong said. Some South Korean conservative politicians have recently incited anti-China sentiment amid political chaos in a bid to shift public attention.

“Moving forward, all relevant parties will need to make greater efforts to stabilize and improve the bilateral relationship,” Dong added.

Amid external pressure from US tariffs and severe internal political turmoil, the impeachment may temporarily ease South Korea’s current state of division and help cool down social unrest, L noted.

However, with the presidential election about to begin, the People Power Party and the Democratic Party are poised to enter a new phase of confrontation. During this period, the political turbulence in South Korea is likely to continue, L said. “Overall, it remains highly possible that South Korea will face renewed instability and polarization within the next 60 days.”