South Korea impeaches president, eyes charges

South Koreans cheer impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol — Yoon's impeachment motion was driven by his short-lived imposition of martial law

(Image credit: Chris Jung / NurPhoto via Getty Images)

What happened

South Korea's Constitutional Court today began weighing whether to ratify Saturday's impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. The opposition-led National Assembly's successful impeachment motion, driven by Yoon's short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec. 3, immediately suspended him from office, making Prime Minister Han Duck-soo the acting president. Yoon also faces at least two investigations on potential insurrection and abuse of power charges.

Who said what

Yoon's "fall was as fast as his rise" — a "political outsider" who "squeaked into the presidency in 2022 on his first bid at public office," The Washington Post said. The "bullheaded" former top prosecutor, facing a "deeply divided nation," chose to "appeal to his conservative base" and treat the opposition Democratic Party as his enemy.

Yoon's martial law decree was a step too far for some of his allies, and "at least 12 members" of his ruling People Power Party voted to impeach him Saturday, Reuters said. "If martial law had not been lifted that night, a bloody incident could have erupted that morning between the citizens" and "our young soldiers," PPP chair Han Dong-hoon said today as he announced his resignation as leader of the divided party.

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Han Duck-soo, the acting president, moved to reassure allies and global markets. He called President Joe Biden yesterday to recommit to pursuing joint foreign and security policies.

What next?

The Constitutional Court has 180 days to decide Yoon's fate, though "observers say that a court ruling could come faster," The Associated Press said. In South Korea's other two presidential impeachment cases, the court took 63 days to reinstate Roh Moo-hyun in 2004 and 91 days to remove Park Geun-hye in 2016. If Yoon is dismissed, the country has 60 days to pick his successor in a national election.

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.