South Korea constitutional court to rule on Yoon impeachment

By Deutsche Welle (World News) | Created at 2025-04-04 02:11:07 | Updated at 2025-04-05 03:43:22 1 day ago

South Korea's constitutional court will rule on Friday on whether to uphold the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol, months after the conservative president's declaration of martial law threw the country into chaos.

The court is scheduled will convene in a nationally televised session set to begin at 11 a.m. (0200 GMT) for a verdict to decide whether Yoon returns to office or is permanently removed.

At least six of the eight justices must vote in favor to uphold Yoon's impeachment.

Yoon supporters as well as pro-impeachment demonstrators camped outside the court overnight. Meanwhile, police raised the alert to the highest possible level, enabling the deployment of the entire force.

Why was the president arrested?

Yoon was arrested and charged by prosecutors in January over his December 3 decision to declare martial law, a move that plunged the country into political turmoil.

South Korea's opposition-led parliament subsequently voted to impeach Yoon in mid-December, leading to his suspension from office.

Following his impeachment, the 64-year-old resisted arrest for two weeks at his presidential compound in central Seoul.

Yoon has since defended the short-lived imposition of martial law as a "proclamation that the nation was facing an existential crisis."

In March, Seoul's Central District Court canceled Yoon's arrest warrant, citing the timing of his indictment and "questions about the legality" of the investigation and freed him from prison.