South Korea’s Constitutional Court upheld the on Friday, months after the ousted president’s declaration of martial law threw the country into chaos.
Yoon, 64 was not present in court to hear the verdict.
The court found that Yoon’s martial law declaration “violated” the constitution, did not not follow correct procedures and interfered with the independence of the judiciary.
It also said Yoon violated his duty as commander-in-chief by mobilizing troops.
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.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will continue to serve as acting president until the new president is inaugurated.
Why was the president arrested?
and charged by prosecutors in January over his December 3 decision to declare martial law and sending troops to parliament to prevent its repeal, 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 , citing the timing of his indictment and “questions about the legality” of the investigation and freed him from prison.
What happens next?
South Korea must now elect a new president within the next 60 days.
Meanwhile, Yoon is also over insurrection charges related to the martial law declaration.
He is the first sitting South Korean president to stand trial in a criminal case. The case is expected to drag on well past his impeachment.
Edited by: Zac Crellin
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