South Korea's Constitutional Court on Friday removed President Yoon Suk-yeol from office by upholding his impeachment, which has ignited passionate reactions across the nation, as South Koreans express both celebration and frustration over the decision.
While anti-government protesters view the outcome as a step toward restoring public trust, supporters of Yoon see it as a blow to democratic principles.
Among those welcoming the decision is Kim Keon, an anti-Yoon protester, who believes the ruling is an opportunity for national reflection.
"I think the Constitutional Court made a very obvious and rightful decision, and I feel that this ruling could help restore order and trust in our society. I also hope this decision won't just be seen in terms of who won or lost, but rather as a chance for our society to start paying attention again to areas we may have overlooked for too long," said Kim.
Another protester, Lee Sang-Joon, described the moment as historic, emphasizing a fresh start for the country.
"I believe this is a truly significant moment for South Korea to rise again. However, this is not the end of everything but rather the beginning of something new. We firmly believe that this marks the start of a new chapter in our country's history - one that will be remembered with pride. This is an incredibly joyful moment. Thank you," he said.
Not everyone agreed with the decision. Some supporters of Yoon believe this ruling undermines the will of the people.
"As a citizen, I find this result absolutely unacceptable. It was a unanimous decision, but if you look at the details, there are claims in some circles that testimonies or evidence may have been fabricated," said Woo Dong-Gyun, a supporter of Yoon.
"I can no longer trust any public officials in South Korea, and I feel that the legislative, judicial, and executive branches are all meaningless. From my perspective, I can only see this as proof that the country is corrupt, and I want to make it clear that I have no trust or faith in anyone in public office," said Lim Hwa-Sup, another Yoon supporter.
With emotions running high, the nation now prepares for a presidential election to select a new leader which must come within 60 days.
South Korea's constitutional court upheld the impeachment motion by the National Assembly over his short-lived martial law imposition.
Moon Hyung-bae, acting chief of the court, read a ruling on Yoon's impeachment, saying it was a unanimous decision of eight justices.
The conservative leader officially lost all presidential power, becoming the country's second sitting president to be forcibly removed from power following former conservative President Park Geun-hye's ouster through impeachment in 2017.
Yoon became the third president to be impeached by the National Assembly in the country's constitutional history. Late liberal President Roh Moo-hyun was reinstated in presidency after impeachment by the National Assembly in 2004.
South Korea public divided as Constitutional Court upholds President Yoon's impeachment
South Korea faces divided reactions as Constitutional court upholds President Yoon‘’s impeachment
