SEOUL, April 1: South Korea’s Constitutional Court has announced that it will deliver its ruling on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment case on April 4 at 11 a.m. (0200 GMT), deciding whether he will be permanently removed from office or reinstated. The court confirmed that the ruling session will be broadcast live.
Yoon was impeached by parliament on December 14 after being accused of violating his constitutional duties by declaring martial law without justifiable grounds. His decision sparked intense controversy, leading to his suspension and a prolonged legal battle. The suspended president has defended his actions, stating that he did not intend to fully impose military rule but sought to warn against the opposition Democratic Party’s alleged abuse of its parliamentary majority, which he claimed was threatening South Korea’s stability. In his final statement before the court ended arguments on February 25, Yoon asserted that his martial law declaration was meant as an appeal to the public to resist “anti-state forces,” pro-North Korea sympathizers, and political gridlock.
The wait for the ruling, which has stretched for more than a month, has deepened divisions between the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the opposition Democratic Party (DP), fueling heated political clashes. The ruling PPP has demanded Yoon’s reinstatement, with party floor leader Kweon Seong-dong stating that the party will accept the court’s ruling but warned that social conflict will intensify regardless of the decision. The opposition DP remains confident that the court will unanimously rule against Yoon, with its floor leader Park Chan-dae emphasizing that Yoon’s actions violated constitutional order and cannot be justified.
Public opinion remains largely in favor of Yoon’s removal, though support for impeachment has somewhat declined since December. According to a Gallup Korea poll released on March 29, 60% of respondents believe that Yoon should be ousted. Tensions have spilled into the streets, with large-scale protests both supporting and opposing Yoon’s removal. Crowds have packed downtown Seoul in recent weeks, and police are preparing for possible violence following the court’s decision.
According to South Korea’s constitutional law, the eight-member Constitutional Court can only remove Yoon if at least six justices vote in favor of his impeachment. One seat remains vacant on the bench, adding to the uncertainty of the final decision. The financial markets reacted swiftly to the announcement of the ruling date. The South Korean won reversed earlier losses and strengthened against the dollar, while the stock market benchmark index initially surged 1.5% before settling at a 0.5% gain.
If Yoon is permanently removed from office, South Korea will be required to hold a new presidential election within 60 days. This would mark a dramatic and early end to Yoon’s five-year term, which has been plagued by political turmoil since he took office in 2022. The impeachment process has also led to the suspension and subsequent reinstatement of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who briefly served as acting president. The Constitutional Court reinstated Han on March 24, allowing him to resume his role as acting president until Yoon’s fate is decided.
Beyond impeachment, Yoon is also facing a separate criminal trial on charges of leading an insurrection by declaring martial law. If convicted, he could face life in prison or even the death penalty, although South Korea has not carried out an execution since 1997. His controversial martial law order, which banned political and parliamentary activity, triggered an unprecedented constitutional crisis, leading to not only his impeachment but also the temporary impeachment of the prime minister.
The last time a South Korean president was impeached was in 2017 when then-President Park Geun-hye was unanimously removed from office by the Constitutional Court for violating her constitutional duties. As South Korea awaits the April 4 ruling, the country remains deeply divided, with political tensions running high and uncertainty looming over its leadership.
