The Constitutional Court of South Korea officially confirmed the dismissal of President Yoon Suk Yeol following an abandoned attempt to declare martial law at the end of last year.
This is a decision that will trigger a new cycle of elections and will deepen the political fracture in one of the most dynamic democracies in the region. South Korea must hold an election within two months.
After deliberating since January, the court rendered its unanimous decision on Friday in a national event which saw many ordinary Koreans stop to hear the judgment on the political fate of Yoon.
The judges said that Yoon had violated the fundamental rights of the people by declaring martial law.
“You are witnessing the miracle of democracy in Korea with the decision of the Constitutional Court,” said the mayor of Siheung, Lim Byung-Taek
Yoon, a fervent curator, was dismissed in December by the country’s National Assembly, which is controlled by the liberal opposition.
He ordered the deployment of hundreds of soldiers and police in the Assembly after declaring martial law on December 3.
Yoon said that the decision was intended to maintain order, but thereafter, some military and civilian officials said that the president had ordered them to drag the legislators to frustrate a vote on his decree and have his political opponents.
South Korean investigators left the official residence of the president dismissed Yoon Suk Yeol after a confrontation of almost six hours on Friday during which he challenged their attempt to hold him. Jeremy Chan, principal analyst in the China group and in Northeast Asia, Eurasia, says that he is “deeply concerned” by the state of democracy in South Korea.
For his defense, Yoon said that he did not intend to keep the country under martial law for a very long time, and he only wanted to underline what he called the “wickedness” of the Democratic Party, which obstructed his program.
The cheeky act sparked a huge political crisis and massive street demonstrations involving millions of people. The demonstrations, many of which continued in a smaller form to the decision, involved both his opponents and his supporters.
Friday, police mobilized an overwhelming presence to prevent clashes and possible acts of vandalism, criminal fire and assault.
There have been pro and anti-impassively demonstrations in the streets of Seoul after the decision, but no violence has been reported.
By removing Yoon from the office required support of at least six of the eight tribunal judges. In the end, it was a unanimous decision.
The association of journalists in Korea, in a press release, praised the decision to dismiss the Constitutional Court.
“The declaration of Yoon Seok-Yeol of 12 · 3 The illegal martial law was an anti-democratic and anti-social violence which violated the Constitution,” said the organization that represents journalists in the country.
“This sentence should be the starting point to stop extreme political conflicts and prevent the national affairs division.”
Yoon has promoted closer relations with Western nations, including Canada.
Almost two years ago, Canada and South Korea signed a strategic partnership that inaugurated a high -level dialogue on a certain number of problems, including defense and security.
