South Korea’s President Yoon has been impeached from power, four months after declaring martial law
- Doyoung Lim
- Apr 8
- 1 min read
April 8, 2025
Doyoung Lim
South Korea’s president, Yoon has been removed from office after the Constitutional Court voted unanimously to uphold his impeachment, four months after he attempted to impose martial law in December.
The Constitutional Court determined to remove him that Yoon’s major illegal acts included declaring martial law by ordering the military and police to block lawmakers from the National Assembly and ordering the arrest of judges in the National Assembly and Supreme Court justices, serious crimes, and violations of the Constitution of South Korea.
The Court’s decision on Friday marks Yoon’s formal removal from the presidency after the assembly voted to impeach him in December last year. His dismissal affects his duty immediately, which means he must leave his role, and an election at least 60 days to replace him.
Before his impeachment, Yoon was arrested in January following weeks of a standoff between investigators and his personal security team. He was released in March after his detention was overturned on technical grounds.
In various parts of Seoul, many critics and supporters gathered to watch the verdict live, and were met with tears of joy and sadness over his impeachment. He is also facing a charge, making him the country’s first president charged with a crime.
