What is the current political situation in South Korea? | Explained

Anti-Yoon protesters react after the constitutional court’s verdict on the impeachment of South Korea president Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on April 4.
| Photo Credit: AFP

The story so far: On April 4, South Korea’s constitutional court upheld the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. The Court unanimously (8-0) agreed in favour of the impeachment. Mr. Yoon is the second president to be removed from office in the last eight years. According to the constitution, South Korea will have to elect a new President within 60 days.

Also Read: South Korea to hold snap presidential election on June 3

What led to his impeachment?

On December 3, 2024, President Yoon announced an emergency and declared martial law to protect South Korea from “anti-state forces” and to eliminate “despicable pro-North Koreans.” This was the 17th martial law in the history of independent South Korea. Six hours later, the National Assembly convened and 190 members voted in favour of lifting the martial law under Article 77. On December 14, 2024, in its second motion, the Assembly succeeded in voting President Yoon out of office with 204 votes in favour. Of the 300 seats in the National Assembly, the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) holds 170, while the People’s Power Party (PPP), to which Mr. Yoon belongs, has 108 seats.

What happened after impeachment?

The declaration of martial law and the impeachment motion ignited public protests across South Korea. It polarised society; thousands protested against the impeachment, supporting Mr. Yoon, while 2,00,000 people gathered outside the parliament, supporting his removal. On January 17, the Corruption Investigation Office requested an arrest warrant against Mr. Yoon, which was approved, leading to Yoon supporters attacking the courthouse. The 11th and final hearing on the martial decree took place on February 25. In his last hearing, he stated that his intention was only to warn the public of anti-state forces.

What does the verdict say?

The constitutional court upheld the impeachment of Mr. Yoon and expressed disillusionment with his reasoning. It held that Mr. Yoon did not follow the constitutional mandate, rules, and procedure. While Mr. Yoon argued that he imposed martial law due to the presence of anti-state forces, the verdict contradicted the same and stated that he declared martial law to overcome the National Assembly, which composed mostly of the opposition. The verdict ruled that his actions threatened the military’s political neutrality and placed the soldiers serving the nation in direct confrontation with its people.

Furthermore, the verdict argued that the political and economic cost of impeachment is more acceptable than the negative repercussions of a violated constitutional and democratic process. Mr. Yoon’s claims of alleged election fraud were also dismissed. Based on all the above, the court upheld the removal of Mr. Yoon and said he “abandoned his duty to uphold the Constitution and gravely betrayed the trust of the sovereign citizens of Korea.” Mr. Yoon will now face a series of criminal charges that he was shielded from during his tenure.

What is next for South Korea?

The Presidential elections will be held on June 3. As crowds of supporters and protestors clear off the streets, the interim heads and security forces are on high alert to maintain peace and order.

Also Read: South Korea’s Yoon resists arrest over martial law bid

The PPP is now in disarray, with Mr. Yoon being seen as a wronged leader by many of his supporters. Lee Jae-Myung of the DPK is the most favoured contender for the elections. He had led his party to victory in last year’s parliamentary elections. South Korea also faces an external challenge with the U.S. imposing 25% “reciprocal tariffs”. Thus, the next President will have to address both political and economic challenges.

Femy Francis is a researcher at Global Politics Area Studies on China, East Asia and the Pacific at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru