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Seoul held its breath Friday morning as the South Korean Constitutional Court read their
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ruling on the fate of President Yoon Suk-yeol. We hereby pronounce the following ruling with the unanimous agreement of all justices
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The time is now 11.22 a.m. We dismiss respondent President Yoon Suk-yeol
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Yoon's impeachment was upheld and the president is officially removed from office after attempting
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to declare martial law last year. The decision brings to a close the chaos that has engulfed
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the country since President Yoon's bombshell announcement on the night of December 3rd
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I declare martial law to defend the Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean
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and communist forces to eradicate the disgraceful pro anti traders who rob our people of freedom and happiness and to protect our constitutional order
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On the president's orders, the military stormed parliament, sealing off the building
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But in a dramatic midnight showdown, 190 of 300 lawmakers defied the blockade
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convening against the odds. As soldiers tried to stop the vote, lawmakers moved swiftly and passed a motion to overturn the president's decision
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Six hours later, it was over. Martial law was lifted. The opposition immediately demanded Yoon's resignation
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Yoon was impeached by the parliament and arrested in January under charges of leading an insurrection
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He was released in March ahead of his trial, causing tensions to flare between Yoon critics and supporters who took to the streets
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The court's decision makes President Yoon the second South Korean president to be impeached
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The judgment cannot be reversed
