South Korean Constitutional Court rules December 2024 Martial Law order improper

In an April 3, 2025 article in The Guardian, Justin McCurry details how South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol was removed from office following a unanimous Constitutional Court decision. The court ruled that Yoon’s December martial law order constituted a “grave betrayal of the trust of the people” and violated the proper exercise of emergency powers. As a result, interim leader Han Duck-soo has been appointed to govern until a new president is elected within 60 days. In a brief statement, President Yoon apologized and acknowledged the court’s decision. The 111-day impeachment process, set against rising concerns for the country’s democratic future, culminated in this decisive action. Additionally, the report notes that Yoon may face a separate criminal trial related to charges of insurrection. South Korea’s conservative party stated that it “solemnly accepts” the outcome, while opposition leaders hailed the ruling as a victory for democracy. The article underscores the deep societal divisions exposed by the crisis and highlights unease among South Korea’s allies, an alarm informed by the country’s historical sensitivities regarding military rule.

This news comes against the backdrop of South Korea’s modern history, which has repeatedly seen leaders misuse emergency powers to consolidate authority and silence political opposition. Under Park Chung-hee’s authoritarian Yushin regime (1972–1979), emergency decrees became routine instruments for restricting dissent, censoring media, and detaining opponents. This pattern intensified dramatically with Chun Doo-hwan’s military coup and subsequent crackdown during the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, where martial law justified violent suppression of citizen protests, resulting in mass casualties. Even amid the push toward democracy in 1987, authorities attempted to curb pro-democracy demonstrations through emergency measures. Moreover, laws like the National Security Law have continuously served as a backdrop enabling government overreach, stifling political debate and heightening tensions. The attempted introduction of martial law in December 2024 resonated deeply within South Korea precisely because it reminded many citizens and international observers of these troubling historical episodes—renewing fears about a potential return to authoritarian methods disguised as emergency responses.