Impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol

Impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol
Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Won-shik signing the article of impeachment after its passage in the National Assembly, 14 December 2024
Acting President of the Constitutional Court Moon Hyung-bae (center) announcing the court decision removing Yoon from office, 4 April 2025
AccusedYoon Suk Yeol, president of South Korea
Date
  • Since initial motion:
  • 4 December 2024 – 4 April 2025 (2024-12-04 2025-04-04)

  • Yoon's power suspension:
  • 14 December 2024 – 4 April 2025 (2024-12-14 2025-04-04)
Charges
  • Violation of principle of popular sovereignty
  • Obstruction of the exercise of rights
  • Obstruction of the performance of official duties
  • Abuse of power
  • Sedition
CauseDeclaration of martial law
National Assembly votes
First impeachment motion
7 December 2024
Present
195 / 300(65%)
Not voting
105 / 300(35%)
ResultImpeachment unsuccessful
Second impeachment motion
14 December 2024
Votes in favor
204 / 300(68%)
Votes against
85 / 300(28%)
Not voting
11 / 300(4%)
ResultImpeachment successful
  • Yoon's presidential powers and duties were suspended for the duration of the impeachment trial
  • Prime Minister Han Duck-soo became acting president
Decision by Constitutional Court of Korea
4 April 2025
Votes in favor
8 / 8(100%)
Votes against
0 / 8(0%)
ResultImpeachment upheld
  • Yoon removed from office; Snap presidential election was held in June 2025; Lee Jae-myung elected as president
  • Han continued his role as acting president until his own resignation on 1 May 2025
  • Yoon disqualified from holding public office in South Korea for five years
National Assembly: 2206448
Constitutional Court: 2024헌나8

On 14 December 2024, Yoon Suk Yeol, the president of South Korea, was impeached by the National Assembly following the passing of the impeachment bill with 204 of the 300 members voting in favor. This action came in response to Yoon's declaration of martial law on 3 December 2024.

Prime Minister of South Korea Han Duck-soo assumed the role of acting president pending the Constitutional Court's decision on whether to accept the impeachment. Han was himself impeached on 27 December 2024, and first deputy prime minister Choi Sang-mok became acting president. On 24 March 2025, Han was acquitted by the Constitutional Court and returned to the role of acting president.

The court upheld the impeachment of Yoon in a unanimous 80 decision on 4 April 2025, removing Yoon from office. Thus, Han continued as acting president until resigning, along with Choi, on 1 May 2025, which left second deputy prime minister Lee Ju-ho as acting president. The court determined that Yoon's five major illegal acts, including ordering the military and police to block lawmakers from entering the National Assembly, ordering the arrest of judges and Supreme Court justices, and illegally declaring martial law, were serious violations of the Constitution. Per the Constitution, a snap election was held on 3 June 2025, 60 days after Yoon's removal, with Lee Jae-myung being elected to succeed Yoon as president.

An earlier impeachment motion was put to a parliamentary vote on 7 December 2024, but failed because the number of attending legislators did not meet the quorum required for its passage, as members of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote.

Opinion polling on the Yoon Suk Yeol presidency throughout 2024 was increasingly negative. The declaration of martial law hardened these views, with many surveyed in South Korea believing Yoon should resign voluntarily, or that he should be formally removed from office.