Official announcement by South Korea's Constitutional Court

South Korea's Court Reviews Yoon's Impeachment After Martial Law Turmoil

Dec 16, 2024, 05:24 AM

South Korea's Constitutional Court has begun the process of reviewing the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was suspended from office following a parliamentary vote on Saturday. The impeachment stems from Yoon's brief declaration of martial law on December 3, which lasted less than six hours and plunged the country into political turmoil. The court has set a preliminary hearing for December 27 to assess the legal issues involved. Yoon faces allegations of insurrection, abuse of power, and obstructing people from exercising their rights. Investigators from a joint team plan to summon Yoon for questioning on Wednesday regarding these charges. The impeachment was approved by 204 votes in favor and 85 against, with three abstentions and eight null votes. The court has up to six months to decide whether to uphold the impeachment or reinstate Yoon. In the interim, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is acting as president. The leader of Yoon's People Power Party, Han Dong-hoon, resigned on Monday, citing his support for the impeachment as the reason.