“We hereby pronounce the following ruling, with the unanimous agreement of all justices. [We] dismiss respondent President Yoon Suk-yeol,” acting chief justice Moon Hyung-bae said.
Yoon’s ill-fated December 3 bid to subvert civilian rule lasted just six hours before lawmakers voted it down. They later impeached him, stripping him of his duties.
The move evoked painful memories of South Korea’s military-backed rulers who used martial law and emergency decrees to suppress opponents in the 1960-1980s.
Seoul must hold a fresh presidential election within 60 days of the ruling, which marked the end of a chapter in one of the most turbulent political episodes in the country’s recent history.
Polls indicate that Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, would be the front runner in a snap election. Last week, the Seoul High Court acquitted Lee of making false claims in 2021 while campaigning for the presidency, potentially boosting his chances in a coming race.
