South Korea’s President Yoon – new elections in 60 days

The South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, disembarkated by parliament because of his proclamation of the law law, has finally been removed from the office. The constitutional court of the Asian country unanimously confirmed the removal of Yoons on Friday. This means that a new president must be elected within 60 days. The 64-year-old Yoon had plunged South Korea into a deep political crisis four months ago.

Court President Moon Hyung Bae spoke of “serious negative effects and far -reaching consequences of the constitutional impacts” Yoons. The President’s actions had violated “the basic principles of the rule of law” and the democratic government. They also presented a “serious threat to the stability of the Democratic Republic”, judged the judges.

Yoon’s decision to send soldiers to parliament in order to prevent the deputies from being abolished their decree to proclaim the law of war, “violated the political neutrality of the armed forces”. Yoon used the soldiers for “political purposes”, the judges continued. The “unconstitutional and illegal actions” Yoons are a betrayal of the people’s trust and represented a “serious violation of the law”, which from the perspective of the protection of the constitution cannot “be tolerated”.

Yoon had proclaimed war law on December 3 due to a budget dispute. The parliament in Seoul then voted for the removal of Yoons, but this had to be confirmed by the constitutional court. The public prosecutor initiated criminal investigations into an uprising against the 64-year-old.

The police were on the greatest alert for the pronouncement of the judgment on Friday. Officials converted the courthouse with a ring of vehicles and stationed special units nearby. MPs of the opposition applauded when their words fell according to “historical” judgment, while parliamentarians from Yoon’s party left the courtroom.

Opponents of the disempowered president gathered outdoors to pursue a live broadcast of the reading. “When the dismissal was announced, the cheers were so loud that it felt like the rally was being torn,” said 25-year-old demonstrator Kim Min Ji of the AFP news agency. “We cried tears and called that we, the citizens, won!”

Tears of grief and anger, on the other hand, were shed among some followers of the deposed president, which include right -wing YouTuber and people from religious circles. They had gathered in front of Yoon’s residence. When the verdict became known, some of them bumped out to hear death threats to the judges. A Yoon supporter who had tried to attack a police car with a stick was arrested, according to the police.

While South Korea had been waiting for the verdict in recent weeks, there had always been protests by supporters and opponents of the disempowered president. At least two supporters had lit in protest on Yoon’s dismissal and had died.

Yoon himself apologized shortly after the court decision. “I’m sincerely sorry and breaks my heart that I was unable to meet your expectations,” he said. Yoon’s party also explained to accept the judgment. It is “regrettable”, but the PPP “accepts and respects the decision of the Constitutional Court,” said MP Kwon Young SE.

Opposition leader Lee Jae Myung welcomed the court’s decision. Yoon “destroyed” the constitution, said Lee, who, according to surveys, is the favorite in new elections. According to the constitution, the early choice must now take place within 60 days. A date is to be announced in the coming days. According to the South Korean media, a coordination in the first week of June is likely.

Yoon’s dismantling occurs with immediate effect. All military institutions in the country immediately received the order to remove the portrait of the commander -in -chief from the office, as the Ministry of Defense announced, according to the Yonhap news agency. Yoon is now expecting a presumably lengthy process because of the accusation of the instigation. In the event of a conviction, he could even threaten the death penalty.

The disempowered president had officially justified the proclamation of war law due to a budgetary dispute to protect his country “from the threat of North Korea’s communist forces” and to eliminate “anti -state elements”. He had described a “parliamentary dictatorship” as a victim.

South Korea had plunged the proclamation of war law into a deep political crisis. Transition President Han Duck Soo was initially deposed by the parliament and then reinstated by the constitutional court at the end of March. During this power vacuum for four months, South Korea experienced a plane crash and the worst forest fires in its history, followed by the new high tariffs of the US government.

Yoon is the second head of state who was disempowered in South Korea. In 2017, the President Park Geun Hye’s constitutional court dropped for a scandal about favorite economy.