South Korea’s constitutional court upholds impeachment of president over martial law attempt

South Korea’s constitutional court has unanimously upheld parliament’s impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his attempt to impose martial law.

In a ruling that millions of South Koreans watched on live television, the court found that Yeol’s exercise of “national emergency powers” was not justified.

Moon Hyung-bae, acting president of the constitutional court, said there was no national emergency scenario to warrant the declaration.

“It was a situation that could have been solved through other means other than military deployment,” he said.

He added that Yeol’s deployment of troops to enforce martial law “infringed on the validity of the national assembly”.

“He did not uphold his duties and went against the people they were supposed to protect,” he said.

The judge said the implementation of martial law “damaged people’s basic political rights”, and “violated the principles of the rule of law and democracy”.

The panel of judges in the constitutional court, thereafter, unanimously voted to uphold Yeol’s impeachment.

This means he is immediately removed from his position as president. The country now has 60 days to hold a snap election to replace him.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will stay on as acting president until a new leader is sworn in.

Following the unanimous vote, the anti-Yeol crowd poured into streets in celebration, with many hugging each other and waving flags vigorously.

Yeol’s supporters, however, reacted with dismay and tears.

In a statement released through his lawyers after he was removed from office, Yeol said it has been a great honour to work for the country.

“I thank those who supported and cheered me despite my shortcomings. I am regretful and sorry that I could not live up to your expectations,” he said.

Yoon Gap-geun, Yeol’s attorney, said the entire trial was unlawful and unfair.

“And the result is something that we completely don’t understand from the perspective of law,” he told reporters after the ruling.

“I feel regrettable that this completely is a political decision.”