讀後心得

On April 4, the Constitutional Court of Korea announced the passing of the impeachment case against President 尹錫悅 (Yoon Suk-yeol), leading to his removal from office. He became the second president to be ousted by the court after 朴槿惠 (Park Geun-hye). Acting President 韓悳洙 (Han Duck-soo) immediately signed an emergency order to maintain public order and emphasized the importance of ensuring safety. The court ruling stated that 尹錫悅's declaration of martial law was unconstitutional, lacked justification for the martial law reasons, and infringed upon the basic rights of the people. The verdict sparked demonstrations on the streets of Seoul, with supporters and opponents of 尹錫悅 expressing their views, creating a tense atmosphere. According to the law, South Korea must hold a by-election within 60 days. The opposition views this ruling as a victory for democracy, while 尹錫悅's supporters deemed the outcome unacceptable and were emotionally charged. The focus now shifts to the upcoming presidential elections and the further developments in 尹錫悅's arrest case.

Yoon Suk-yeol did not appear at the courthouse. The Constitutional Court of South Korea announced at 11 a.m. local time on April 4 that the impeachment case against President Yoon Suk-yeol was approved. The eight judges of the Constitutional Court unanimously voted in favor of the impeachment, resulting in Yoon Suk-yeol being dismissed from the presidency. According to reports, acting president Han Deok-soo subsequently signed an emergency order to maintain public order, stating that authorities would protect safety and avoid a security and diplomatic vacuum. Yoon Suk-yeol became the second South Korean president to be removed from office by the court, following former president Park Geun-hye. According to the law, South Korea must hold a by-election within 60 days to elect a new president. Prior to the ruling, Yoon expressed through his legal representatives that he did not attend the hearing due to considerations of public order and security. The entire process was broadcast live on television. Although the ruling affected Yoon Suk-yeol’s political future, it did not quell the unrest caused by the brief imposition of martial law. Currently, thousands of supporters and opponents of Yoon Suk-yeol are gathering on the streets of Seoul to protest, creating a tense situation. In response to potential conflicts, Seoul deployed over 14,000 riot police, and some nearby schools, shops, and tourist attractions were closed early.

After the judges of the Constitutional Court opened the session at 11 a.m. local time, they immediately read the ruling. Acting President Moon Hyung-pyo pointed out that the martial law order issued by Yoon Suk-yeol was unconstitutional, asserting that there was no significant national crisis at the time. The justification provided by Yoon that actions from the opposition parties created serious crises was deemed insufficient to prove the rationality of his martial law decision, which also exceeded the power granted by the Constitution. Furthermore, he did not act in accordance with due process when declaring martial law. The judgment stated that Yoon Suk-yeol's mobilization of the military to enforce martial law infringed upon the legitimacy of the National Assembly and emphasized that “he failed to fulfill his duties and instead deviated from the people he was supposed to protect.” The judges further stated that the martial law imposed by Yoon Suk-yeol "undermined the basic political rights of the people" and added that this action "violated the principles of the rule of law and democracy." On December 3 of last year, Yoon briefly declared martial law, which was lifted a few hours later, and subsequently, the opposition-controlled National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against Yoon, leading to his suspension from office. On December 30 of this year, South Korean courts issued an arrest warrant for him due to alleged insurrection and abuse of power, marking the first time in South Korea's constitutional history that an arrest warrant was issued for a sitting president. Since the Constitutional Court's verdict was announced, 111 days have passed.

In terms of public reaction, the crowd opposing Yoon Suk-yeol erupted in cheers after the court announced the approval of the impeachment case, with many embracing each other and waving flags, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of when the Korean team won the World Cup. A 66-year-old opponent expressed, “I can't be calm; this impeachment makes me very happy, but I am just saddened that it took so long to make this decision.” Many protesters have been participating in demonstrations since last December, calling for Yoon to step down. Meanwhile, Yoon Suk-yeol's supporters were filled with anger and tears after the news of the impeachment was announced, with uproarious boos and cries from the crowd, as supporters expressed their “complete rejection” of the court's outcome. A young man shouted, “This is totally nonsensical!” Another lamented, “Korea is finished.” Earlier this year, following the issuance of an arrest warrant against Yoon, some supporters stormed the courthouse to protest. This decision has drawn significant attention from South Korean society, with the court allowing 20 members of the public to observe, but there were a staggering 96,000 applications, resulting in a competition ratio of 4,818 to 1.

In comments following the ruling, the opposition lawmakers responsible for this impeachment trial stated, “This is a victory for the Constitution, democracy, and the people,” and thanked the public for defeating the enemies of democracy through their votes. The opposition described the ruling as a victory for the people, while the ruling party accepted the court's decision and apologized to the public. Yoon Suk-yeol's legal representatives expressed that the entire trial process was “illegal and unjust” and expressed regret over the result, considering it a “completely political decision.” A few days prior, the Chinese embassy in South Korea once again reminded Chinese citizens in South Korea to enhance their safety precautions, anticipating that large-scale political gatherings and protests might occur around and after the court ruling, with the possibility of extreme incidents not being ruled out. It is reported that the atmosphere among Yoon Suk-yeol's supporters is currently relatively calm, though some feel shocked and saddened. Less than an hour after the announcement of the ruling, many supporters began to pack up and leave.

As for the next steps, after Yoon Suk-yeol was impeached, South Korean law mandates that a by-election must be held within 60 days to elect a new president. Analysts predict that the by-election will be held on the last day of the 60-day period, which is June 3. A professor from Seogang University in South Korea stated that all political parties need to prepare for their election campaigns as thoroughly as possible. On March 10, 2017, following the impeachment of former president Park Geun-hye, a presidential by-election was held on May 9, exactly 60 days after the impeachment. South Korean media reported that the acting prime minister, who is temporarily in charge, made a speech after Yoon Suk-yeol was impeached, stating that they would do their best to support the next presidential election and the establishment of the new government. At the same time, after Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment, the Japanese prime minister expressed that Japan would prioritize its relations with South Korea. Reports indicate that regardless of the result of the upcoming presidential election, cooperation between Japan and South Korea will remain Tokyo's “primary task.” In addition, Yoon Suk-yeol earlier faced prosecution for alleged insurrection, and the case is scheduled for its first hearing at the Seoul Central District Court on April 14, meaning that he will lose his judicial immunity following his impeachment.