South Korea’s Constitutional Court is set to deliver a ruling on President Yoon Suk Yeol‘s impeachment this Friday, a decision that could shape the political landscape of the nation. Elected in 2022, Yoon Suk Yeol arrived at the presidency only to immediately face extraordinary crises. His unpopular proclamation of martial law set off a tsunami of chaos. His decree, which set off the largest civil rights protests in US history, has earned him operational criminal charges of insurrection against him.
Yoon came into the presidency with no political experience at all. When he issued a martial law decree, the National Assembly swiftly and unanimously reversed it. In an unusually speedy response, Yoon repealed the decree within six hours of the Assembly’s vote. The tragedy has been heavily compared to South Korea’s dictatorial history and has shaken the country’s democratic foundations.
Public sentiment mirrors the seriousness of the moment. In fact, a recent Gallup Korea poll found that 60 percent of respondents wish to see Yoon ousted from office. Each of these findings points to an important gulf in public understanding. The imposition of martial law loomed as an ominous cloud over Yoon’s presidency. It fondly recalled a more authoritarian time in South Korean history, creating feelings of nostalgia for an anti-democratic past.
The Constitutional Court also recently quashed Yoon’s impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. As a result, Han has returned to the post of acting president while the Constitutional Court considers the case against Yoon. Since mid-December, Yoon has been temporarily booted out of his presidential role, increasing the focus on Yoon’s aberrant governance and misconduct even further.
Yoon claims that he requires martial law to facilitate overcoming the opposition Democratic Party’s obstructionism. He thinks they show a dangerous sympathy for North Korea. These baseless claims have added even more inflammatory political tensions in this deeply divided country. As the Constitutional Court prepares to make its ruling, the stakes are high. If Yoon’s impeachment is affirmed, a presidential election must take place within 60 days, marking a critical juncture in South Korea’s democratic process.
Should Yoon be removed from office, he will go down in history. If charged, he will be the first sitting president in South Korean history to be prosecuted while in office. The ruling expected soon will have a tremendous effect on Yoon’s political future. It will do all of that while raising critical questions about governance and democracy in South Korea.
