A court in South Korea has officially removed President Yoon Suk-yeol from office. The country’s Constitutional Court delivered the verdict on Friday, stating that a new presidential election must be held within the next 60 days.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, the court ruled that Yoon violated citizens’ rights by imposing martial law in December last year. On December 3, Yoon had declared a brief period of martial law, claiming that anti-state forces and North Korean influence had infiltrated the government.
However, testimonies from senior military and police officials revealed that Yoon had attempted to detain political opponents and prevent the parliament from voting to revoke his martial law order. This led to his impeachment in parliament, and he was formally dismissed from presidential duties in mid-December 2024.
Despite his impeachment, due to complex legal procedures, Yoon continued to hold the title of president without any executive power. His official removal required approval from at least six of the eight constitutional judges, which was finalized in Friday’s ruling.
As a result, South Korea is now set to organize a presidential election within the next two months.