On January 3, South Korean authorities made an effort to apprehend impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol at his residence in Seoul. After the operation, which began at approximately 3:00 a.m, Yoon’s Secret Service bodyguard was shot and threatened, leading to ten minutes of silence followed by another six-hour standoff that ended without Yoon being caught.
The arrest warrant was issued after Yoon refused to answer questions regarding charges of treason and abuse of power related to his December 3 declaration of martial law. The warrant was labeled as “illegal and invalid” by Yoon, leading to a physical altercation when his security personnel prevented investigators from entering the property.
This is the most recent occurrence in South Korea’s growing political crisis. The declaration of martial law by Yoon on December 3 was based on allegations of the Democratic Party’s “anti-state activities” and collaboration with North Korean communist extremists. The decision to suspend political activities and press freedoms was met with immediate opposition. An emergency session of the National Assembly was held, and it unanimously voted to remove martial law, which Yoon later withdrew after several hours.
Following the occurrences, Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly on December 14, and his office was suspended until the Constitutional Court made an official decision. Han Duck-soo was the acting president for a short time before being impeached on December 27, and then the Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang–mok took over the role.
If the Constitutional Court fails to uphold its decision in Yoon’s impeachment, a two-thirds majority must agree upon it by June. A presidential election would be necessary within 60 days if it is confirmed. The general public’s stance towards Yoon’t is in favor of continuing their disapproval and upholding the impeachment.
South Korea’s governance and economic stability have been greatly impacted by the political turmoil. Concerns about policy paralysis and economic downturns have emerged due to the leadership vacuum, which has been characterized by ongoing unrest. Senior Yoon aides have suggested mass resignations and there is an ongoing push for measures to stabilize financial markets and restore public confidence.
With South Korea’s strategic significance in regional security and global markets, the international community is closely monitoring the situation as it unfolded. The crisis has the potential to impact South Korean relations with major allies such as the United States and Japan, particularly in terms of their coordinated policies towards North Korea and China.
The Constitutional Court’s discussions and the government’ s attempts to ensure stability will be of great importance in the next few weeks. South Korea’s political future and global standing will be impacted by the resolution of this crisis.
BY – NIKITA
