Impeached South Korean President Yoon Faces Court Again Amid Political Upheaval

The embattled President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, returned to court on Tuesday as hearings continue over his controversial removal from office. Arrested and stripped of his presidential powers following his abrupt declaration of martial law, Yoon now faces a legal battle that could solidify his impeachment and reshape the nation’s political landscape.
Should the Constitutional Court uphold his impeachment, South Korea will be compelled to hold a presidential election within 60 days, setting the stage for a dramatic shift in leadership.
Yoon, a former chief prosecutor, sent shockwaves through South Korea’s democratic system when he imposed martial law on December 3, effectively dismantling civilian governance and dispatching military forces to seize control of parliament.
However, his authoritarian maneuver collapsed within mere hours, as an opposition-dominated National Assembly defied armed intervention and swiftly moved to nullify his decree. Lawmakers then escalated their response by initiating impeachment proceedings, marking an unprecedented political crisis.
Adding to his legal woes, Yoon was forcibly detained in a pre-dawn raid in mid-January, facing charges of insurrection, a crime that carries severe legal repercussions, including life imprisonment or capital punishment. His arrest marked the first time a sitting South Korean head of state had been taken into custody.
Though held in detention, Yoon has been escorted to impeachment hearings at the Constitutional Court, where his fate now rests in the hands of the judiciary.
A motorcade of unmarked black SUVs pulled up outside the Constitutional Court on Tuesday afternoon, ferrying the disgraced leader to his latest hearing, scheduled for 2:00 PM (0500 GMT).
At earlier hearings, Yoon vehemently denied allegations that he directed military officials to forcibly expel lawmakers from the National Assembly to prevent them from voting down his martial law decree. His claims, however, have been repeatedly contradicted by opposition figures.
Maintaining his stance, Yoon asserted that his military intervention was not a botched coup, but rather an operation that merely “concluded earlier than anticipated.”
Tuesday’s hearing is expected to feature key testimonies, including two former military commanders and an ex-intelligence official, whose statements could further implicate or exonerate the embattled president.
One of the most explosive testimonies is expected to come from Hong Jang-won, a former deputy director of the National Intelligence Service. Hong previously testified before lawmakers, stating that he had received explicit orders to detain political figures—a direct contradiction to Yoon’s persistent denials.
With prosecutors branding Yoon as the mastermind behind an insurrection, his legal troubles extend beyond impeachment. His separate criminal trial looms, and since insurrection is not protected by presidential immunity, a conviction could result in lengthy imprisonment or even capital punishment.
As the courtroom drama unfolds, South Korea finds itself at a crossroads, grappling with the consequences of an unprecedented political crisis and the potential reshaping of its democratic institutions.
AFP