The former star prosecutor stunned the country by declaring this state of emergency by surprise and sending the army to parliament in order to muzzle him, before having to backpedal barely six hours later under pressure from the National Assembly and demonstrators.
“The first deliberation meeting concerning the impeachment motion (of Yoon Suk-yeol, Editor’s note) began at 10 a.m. (2 a.m. in Switzerland),” a spokesperson for the Court told AFP.
Han Duck-soo vows to ensure ‘stable governance’
The Constitutional Court has approximately six months to rule on the validity of this impeachment motion. If she confirms it, Yoon Suk-yeol will be deposed and a presidential election must be held within two months. The winner will be invested the day after the result, without the usual transition period.
During this period of up to eight months, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will act as interim minister. In his first words as temporary leader, he pledged to do everything possible to ensure “stable governance”.
The President of the Court, Moon Hyung-bae, promised shortly after the vote a “speedy and fair procedure”.
Lee Jae-myung favorite in the event of a new vote
According to most experts, there is little doubt about the outcome, as the violations of the Constitution and the law accused of Yoon Suk-yeol are blatant.
The Constitutional Court normally has nine judges but three retired in October without being replaced, due to the political deadlock in the country. Six votes being required to ratify an impeachment, a unanimous judgment will be necessary to dismiss Yoon Suk-yeol.
Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung said on Sunday that a quick decision was “the only way to limit the national unrest and alleviate the suffering of the people.”
A political star entangled in affairs that could cost him his election, Lee Jae-myung is a favorite among analysts in the event of a new election. In 2022, he lost to Yoon Suk-yeol by the narrowest margin in South Korean history.
Lee Jae-myung was convicted in November of violating election laws but the verdict was stayed. If convicted, he would no longer be able to appear. If, however, he were elected before the decision, the proceedings would be interrupted, due to presidential immunity.
Pyongyang calls South Korean president leader of rebellion
Yoon Suk-yeol is under criminal investigation for “rebellion”, a crime theoretically punishable by death, and is no longer allowed to leave the country. The unpopular deposed leader, 63, “refused” to appear in court on Sunday, with prosecutors announcing they would summon him a second time.
If his impeachment is confirmed, he would become the second South Korean president officially removed from office, after Park Geun-hye in 2017 – fell for corruption. There is, however, a reverse precedent. In March 2004, MPs also passed an impeachment motion against Roh Moo-hyun, but it was invalidated two months later by the Constitutional Court.
North Korea, which has been trickling its reactions since the start of the unrest in its neighbor, on Monday described Yoon Suk-yeol as “leader of the rebellion”, according to the official KCNA agency. As usual, Yoon Suk-yeol was also called a “puppet” by the North Korean state media, which considers him to be under the thumb of the United States.
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