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Lee Jae-myung of South Korea's liberal Democratic Party was elected president on June 4.
President Yoon Suk-yeol was removed from office on April 4 after the country's Constitutional Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld a parliamentary vote to impeach him over the Dec 3 martial law decree.
Former South Korean labor minister Kim Moon-soo registered as the People Power Party's presidential candidate on Sunday, after the ruling party failed to replace him with former prime minister Han Duck-soo.
After completing the registration, Kim said the June 3 presidential election is important as it will choose a president "who must overcome the crisis South Korea is facing and who can make efforts to achieve the people's happiness".
Sunday marked the deadline for candidates to register with the National Election Commission. The campaign period begins on Monday and will last for three weeks.
Kim expressed confidence in his chances, saying he will devote the utmost efforts to make South Korea a greater country, Yonhap News Agency reported.
His registration followed a weeklong internal dispute within the People Power Party. Although Kim had won the party primary earlier this month, PPP leadership sought to unify the candidacy with independent contender Han, who had polled higher in opinion surveys.
Despite Kim's objections, the party initiated an unprecedented process to replace its presidential candidate on Saturday. Han joined the PPP in the wee hours of the day, and the head of the PPP election committee announced that Kim's nomination had been canceled.
However, the bid to replace Kim was eventually rejected in an all-party vote on Saturday evening, leading to the reinstatement of his candidacy.
Following the vote, Han said he humbly accepted the result and would support Kim's campaign.
Former president Yoon Suk-yeol said on Sunday that the PPP's presidential nomination race was marked by intense debates and difficulties, but has shown that the party's system remains normal.
Yoon said he has been grateful to the PPP, despite being caught in the turbulent whirlpool of politics following his impeachment. He was set to attend the third hearing of his criminal case over insurrection charges on Monday.
"Now is the time for unity," Yoon said, noting the upcoming election is not merely about a change in administration but about the core of South Korea's system. He also said the PPP faces a strong opposition side.
Meanwhile, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the main opposition Democratic Party and a consistent front-runner in opinion polls, registered his candidacy on Saturday.
In a Gallup Korea poll conducted last week, Lee led a three-way race with 52.1 percent of support, ahead of Kim, who received 31.1 percent, and Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok, who polled at 6.3 percent, according to South Korean broadcaster KBS World.
Lee Jae-myung's support appears to have strengthened following a political merger on Friday between the Democratic Party and four progressive parties, with the withdrawal of Progressive Party candidate Kim Jae-yeon from the contest.
Legal woes
The former Democratic Party leader is facing several criminal trials related to election law violations and bribery. While some hearings have been postponed until after the election, observers said a conviction could add uncertainty to his term even if he is elected president.
The national council of judges announced on Friday that an extraordinary session will be held on May 26 to allow judges nationwide to discuss the Supreme Court's decision to send Lee's election law violation case back to the appellate court, which had previously acquitted him.
Key focus will be on restoring public trust in the judiciary and preserving judicial independence.
Yoon Yeo-joon, co-chair of the Democratic Party's election committee, said at a meeting on Sunday that the political neutrality of all state agencies is important during the election.
"At a sensitive time, the sense of balance and political neutrality of the judiciary, the administration, the National Election Commission, and the investigation agencies are very important."
kelly@chinadailyapac.com
The first hearing in the retrial of the South Korean presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung for allegedly violating election laws has been moved to June 18, after the presidential election, a court said on Wednesday.
The Seoul High Court said the decision to postpone the hearing, due for May 15, was made to ensure a fair opportunity for Lee to campaign and to eliminate concerns about the trial's fairness, Yonhap News Agency said.
Lee, the former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, had been acquitted over alleged election law violations, but it was overturned by the country's Supreme Court on May 1, sending the case back to the Seoul High Court.
Before the Seoul High Court acquitted Lee in March, the Seoul Central District Court had sentenced him in November to one year in jail, suspended for two years, on charges of spreading false information during the 2022 presidential election.
If the sentence is ratified Lee would be disqualified from taking part in the election on June 3.
The Seoul High Court said it has maintained and will continue to maintain its attitude of judging fairly and independently in accordance with the constitution and law without any internal or external influence or interference.
Speaking after the court's announcement on Wednesday, Lee said it was an appropriate one that aligned with the constitution.
"It is an important time for the people to exercise their sovereign rights in practice," he said, stressing the importance of ensuring that there is no interference with people's right to vote.
Lee, who faces several criminal trials, also filed a request to reschedule hearings of his other cases. The hearings of a case involving allegations of bribery were postponed by the Seoul Central District Court from May 13 and 27 to June 24.
A parliamentary subcommittee led by the Democratic Party also passed a bill on Wednesday that suspends criminal proceedings for a president-elect.
The ruling People Power Party, or PPP, opposed the bill, saying it is little more than a "criminal exemption act".
"The idea of suspending criminal trials as long as one runs for president and is elected is beyond common sense," said a PPP spokesman, Shin Dong-wook. "The presidency exists to serve the people, not as a shield for hiding and evading crimes."
Proposal opposed
The Ministry of Justice also said it opposes the proposed change.
Lee remains the front-runner in next month's presidential election, despite the Supreme Court's ruling last week.
In a poll conducted on May 3-4 by Gallup Korea, Lee Jae-myung received 49 percent support, against 33 percent for the PPP's Kim Moon-soo and 9 percent for the minor Reform Party's Lee Junseok in a three-way race.
In a scenario in which the former prime minister Han Ducksoo, an independent candidate, replaced Kim, Lee Jae-myung attracted 49 percent support, and Han and Lee Jun-seok attracted 36 percent and 6 percent respectively.
Han and Kim met on Wednesday to discuss a potential campaign merger but a spokesperson for Han told reporters after the meeting that no agreement was reached.
Han said he will not register as a presidential candidate if an alliance is not achieved by May 11, the deadline for candidate registration with the National Election Commission, while Kim has been protesting the PPP's call for a united campaign.
kelly@chinadailyapac.com
SEOUL -- Kim Moon-soo, former labor minister, was elected presidential candidate for South Korea's conservative People Power Party, a TV footage showed Saturday.
Kim, who served as labor minister under the ousted President Yoon Suk-yeol government, won 56.53 percent of all votes cast in the party's convention.
He was followed by Han Dong-hoon, former leader of the second-largest People Power Party, with 43.47 percent.
Kim will face his archrival Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate of the liberal Democratic Party, in the June 3 presidential election.
Kim's nomination may not be the end of presidential primary in the conservative bloc as former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo led recent polls among conservative presidential hopefuls.
Han, who had served as acting president after Yoon's impeachment, announced his presidential run on Friday after resigning as prime minister the previous day.
A recent survey showed Han garnered a support rate of 13 percent, topping Kim's approval score of 6 percent.
Support scores for both Han and Kim were far below 42 percent for Lee, the Democratic Party presidential candidate.
The result was based on a poll of 1,000 voters conducted from Monday to Wednesday. It had plus and minus 3.1 percentage points in margin of error with a 95-percent confidence level.
SEOUL - South Korean prosecutors have indicted former president Yoon Suk-yeol for abuse of authority, Yonhap said on Thursday.
The indictment is in addition to an ongoing trial on insurrection charges, brought against Yoon over his brief imposition of martial law in December.
The latest indictment is without arrest, Yonhap said, citing the prosecutor's office. An official at the prosecutor's office could not be immediately reached for comment.
Reuters
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South Korea's Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung maintained a significant lead in opinion polls on Monday, though his eligibility to run rests on the outcome of legal trials over election law violations.
In a survey conducted by Realmeter of 1,505 adults aged over 18 on April 23-25, Lee led with 48.5 percent, despite a drop of 1.7 percentage points from last week.
"Lee Jae-myung's supporting rate fell slightly below the 50 percent mark due to concerns about uncertainty in judicial rulings on his case related to the election law violation," the pollster said in a report.
South Korea is set to hold a presidential election on June 3 after former president Yoon Suk-yeol was removed from office earlier this month over his Dec 3 martial law declaration.
Lee secured the nomination as his party's presidential candidate on Sunday with 89.77 percent of the vote. This marked the highest approval in Democratic Party-affiliated primaries since the country's democratization in 1987.
However, Lee is facing multiple criminal trials, including on corruption charges and violation of election law, in which guilty verdicts could render him ineligible to run for president for a decade.
If he wins the presidency before the verdicts are announced, he can claim presidential immunity and the trials will be suspended.
The lawyer-turned-politician lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon by just 0.73 percentage points.
Besides Lee, former employment and labor minister Kim Moon-soo of the ruling People Power Party, or PPP, recorded a 13.4 percent support rate, according to Realmeter.
In his first official event as the party nominee, Lee visited the Seoul National Cemetery on Monday to pay respects to late presidents, including conservative presidents Rhee Syng-man and Park Chung-hee.
The visit was seen to broaden his appeal toward centrist and conservative voters, Yonhap News Agency commented.
After the visit, Lee told a party supreme council meeting that it is important to keep the community united and it is the president's job to lead the people toward one path, to maximize the energy and capabilities of the people and go beyond differences.
"Presidential candidates will have to go this way as well because the country is so torn right now," he said.
However, the PPP criticized the Democratic Party, saying the nearly 90 percent approval for Lee in the primary raised concerns over his party's "exclusion politics".
PPP spokesman Kwon Dongwook said on Monday that the Democratic Party has used its majority to deal with bills in the National Assembly and impeach cabinet members numerous times, going against Lee's stressing of unity.
Kim Jae-yeon, a candidate of the minor Progressive Party, said Lee's visit to the national cemetery cannot be seen as an act that helps national unity, as true unity must start with efforts to overcome minor differences among citizens who fought to defend democracy.
kelly@chinadailyapac.com
Tense exchanges inside the Seoul Central District Court featured the first hearing of the criminal trial of former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol on Monday amid insurrection charges following his short-lived martial law declaration in December.
The prosecution presented a summary of its charges during the trial, while Yoon, a former top prosecutor, refuted them one by one and stressed that the martial law only lasted for a few hours, according to Yonhap News Agency.
"It goes against legal principles to build an insurrection case based on an indictment that looks like a printout of an incident that lasted only a few hours and was lifted immediately in a nonviolent manner upon accepting the National Assembly's demand to lift it," said Yoon, who has become the 5th former South Korean president to stand criminal trial.
Yoon said that, even during the initial investigation process, many statements included in the indictment — by people questioned — were made out of fear and guided by the investigation agency without verification.
He was formally removed from office over his martial law declaration after the Constitutional Court upheld on April 4 his impeachment. A snap presidential election is set for June 3.
Yoon's martial law attempt lasted about six hours from 10:27 pm on Dec 3 when he made the surprise announcement in a televised address. The National Assembly voted against it at 1:02 am on Dec 4 and Yoon formally lifted the martial law about three hours later.
The prosecution said Yoon led riots with the purpose of disrupting the country's constitution by mobilizing troops and police to areas including the National Assembly, the headquarters of the main opposition Democratic Party, and the National Election Commission.
Supporters gathered outside the court holding banners such as "Yoon Again" while his opponents held a news conference calling for his rearrest.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the ruling People Power Party, or PPP, began registration for candidates for the upcoming election.
Several key figures are expected to participate in the party's primary, including former labor minister Kim Moon-soo, former Daegu mayor Hong Joon-pyo, former PPP chairman Han Donghoon, and PPP lawmaker Anh Cheol-soo.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who had been seen as one of the leading presidential contenders for the party, said he will not participate in the primary.
Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has remained silent on speculation that he may run for president.
The PPP will confirm its standard-bearer on May 3.
The liberal Democratic Party, or DP, also started receiving candidate registrations on the same day. But the party has decided there will be no open primary and the candidate will be selected by combining voting by party members and public opinion polls resulting in a 50:50 ratio. The final candidate will be confirmed on April 27.
Former DP leader Lee Jaemyung is a front-runner in opinion polls, maintaining a solid lead of 48.8 percent as a preferred presidential candidate in a weekly poll released on Monday by Realmeter.
Lee announced last week his policy road map if he becomes president, saying that he would focus on overcoming the national crisis in politics and economy.
Former labor minister Kim Moon-soo came next with 10.9 percent, followed by 8.6 percent for Han, the acting president.
As for party approval ratings, DP gained 46.7 percent, up 1.9 percentage points from the previous week. PPP had 33.1 percent, down 2.6 percentage points.
Economic instability
"The political turmoil from an early election triggered by the impeachment of former president Yoon Suk-yeol, combined with worsening external economic situation due to US tariffs, has heightened economic instability," Realmeter said in its report.
This has increased public anxiety, fueling dissatisfaction with the government and the ruling party, which resulted in a negative impact on PPP's approval ratings, it said.
Yoon's next hearing is scheduled for April 21, with experts saying the trial is likely to be a lengthy one.
"The first verdict is likely to be delivered around August, but the case involves around 70,000 pages of evidence and numerous witnesses. So if deemed necessary by the court, the trial may be extended," lawyer Min Kyoung-sic told AFP.
Agencies contributed to this story.
kelly@chinadailyapac.com
SEOUL -- South Korea's ousted President Yoon Suk-yeol attended his first criminal trial on Monday on insurrection charges.
Yoon, carried by a black vehicle, arrived at the Seoul Central District Court at around 9:48 am local time (0048 GMT) and entered the courtroom via the court's underground parking lot in a bid to avoid public exposure, local media footage showed.
During the first formal hearing, Yoon reportedly denied his insurrection charges and defended himself by testifying in the courtroom for about 80 minutes. The second hearing was scheduled for April 21.
On April 4, the constitutional court upheld a motion by parliament to impeach Yoon over his short-lived martial law imposition.
With the court's decision, the conservative leader officially lost all presidential power, becoming the country's second elected president to be forcibly removed from power.
Yoon declared an emergency martial law on the night of Dec 3, 2024, but it was revoked by the opposition-led National Assembly hours later.
The impeachment motion against Yoon was passed in parliament on Dec 14, 2024.
Yoon was apprehended in the presidential office on Jan 15 and was indicted under detention on Jan 26 as a suspected ringleader of insurrection, becoming the country's first sitting president to be arrested and prosecuted.
If convicted of being the insurrection ringleader, Yoon could face the death penalty or life imprisonment.
He was released on March 8 as the prosecution decided not to appeal against a court's release approval.
SEOUL -- Lee Jae-myung, ex-leader of South Korea's main liberal opposition Democratic Party, announced his bid for a snap presidential election via a video message on Thursday.
Lee resigned as party leader on Wednesday amid widespread expectations for his presidential run.
A snap presidential election was set for June 3 following the constitutional court's removal of former President Yoon Suk-yeol from office on April 4 over Yoon's short-lived martial law imposition last December.
Lee, who lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon by the country's narrowest margin, had been broadly seen as the most powerful contender for the snap election.
According to a survey by local pollster Flower, 49.6 percent said they will vote for the Democratic Party's candidate in the next presidential election, while 29.5 percent were in favor of the ruling People Power Party's candidate.
Lee was the most favored as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate with a support rate of 85.5 percent.
The result was based on a poll of 3,004 voters conducted from March 17 to 20. It had a plus and minus 1.8 percentage points in margin of error with a 95 percent confidence level.
SEOUL -- Lee Jae-myung, chief of South Korea's main liberal opposition Democratic Party, resigned as party leader on Wednesday amid wide expectations for his presidential run.
Lee said at the party's supreme council meeting that he was grateful to party members, officials and lawmakers for achievements during his three-year party chairmanship.
The most-favored presidential hopeful noted that he would start something new soon, indicating his declaration to run for president in the near future.
He stressed that the difficulties people were currently experiencing would be overcome quickly by the help of "great DNA," with which people overcame the past hardships, pledging that he would be with people in the process.
A snap presidential election was set for June 3 following the constitutional court's removal of former President Yoon Suk-yeol from office on April 4 over his short-lived martial law imposition last December.
Lee, who lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon by the narrowest margin, had been broadly viewed as the most powerful contender for the snap election.
According to a survey by local pollster Flower, 49.6 percent said they will vote for the Democratic Party's candidate in the next presidential election, while 29.5 percent were in favor of the ruling People Power Party's candidate.
Lee was the most favored as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate with a support rate of 85.5 percent.
The result was based on a poll of 3,004 voters conducted from March 17 to 20. It had plus and minus 1.8 percentage points in margin of error with a 95-percent confidence level.
SEOUL -- South Korea's snap presidential election was widely expected to be held on June 3 after former President Yoon Suk-yeol's ouster from office last week, multiple media outlets, including Yonhap news agency, said Monday.
An unidentified government official was quoted by Yonhap, local daily Chosun Ilbo and other media as saying that the date of the election will be confirmed at the scheduled cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Yoon was removed from office with the constitutional court's unanimous ruling on Friday to uphold his impeachment motion by the National Assembly.
By law, an acting president is required to designate the date of a presidential election in 10 days and hold the snap election in 60 days after a president's removal.
Yoon declared an emergency martial law on the night of Dec 3, 2024, but it was revoked by the opposition-led National Assembly hours later.
The impeachment motion against Yoon was passed in the parliament on Dec 14, 2024, and he was indicted on Jan 26 as a suspected ringleader of insurrection.
The whole of South Korea heard the decisive voice of Moon Hyungbae, acting chief of the Constitutional Court, announce live at 11:22 am on Friday: "Ruling: Respondent President Yoon Suk-yeol is hereby removed from office."
The verdict capped months of political chaos that divided the nation, and followed a unanimous decision by the eight justices of the country's Constitutional Court to uphold a motion by the nation's parliament to impeach Yoon over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December.
The ruling ends Yoon's presidency after just two years and 11 months, but opens the door to the next national election, as an early presidential election must be held within 60 days, or no later than June 3.
"The confirmation of impeachment will help stabilize this country," said Wang Son-taek, an adjunct professor at Sogang University in Seoul. "The message in the court's ruling was powerful and precise."
Acting President Han Duck-soo, who is also prime minister, said he will ensure that there is no vacuum in national security or foreign affairs and that public order is maintained, according to Yonhap News Agency.
"I will do my utmost to oversee a smooth and fair presidential election," said Han, who also called for "political neutrality" in government agencies to guarantee a fair snap election.
Han is obligated to announce the election date by April 14, because the date for an election to fill a presidential vacancy must be announced at least 50 days in advance, according to South Korea's law.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik emphasized the need for swift governance coordination to prevent a political vacuum amid the upcoming election and to ensure a smooth transition for the new administration. Woo also urged all parties to refrain from divisive rhetoric and resolve political polarization.
Yoon declared martial law on the evening of Dec 3 but lifted it six hours later after the opposition-led National Assembly voted to reject it and later approved an impeachment motion for the top court to confirm or deny.
Recognizing all charges against Yoon, including violating the Constitution by declaring martial law and sending troops to the National Assembly, the Constitutional Court said Yoon's "unconstitutional and illegal acts betrayed the trust of the people and constituted a serious violation of law that cannot be tolerated from the perspective of protecting the Constitution".
Moon said Yoon's violations have severely damaged the constitutional order, with the benefits of upholding the Constitution far outweighing the costs of removing the president.
Yoon, who did not attend the verdict session in person, said he was deeply sorry and regretful that he had failed to meet the people's expectations.
"It has been a tremendous honor to serve the nation," Yoon said in a message through his legal team. "I will continue to pray for our beloved Republic of Korea and its people."
Yoon became the second sitting South Korean president to be ousted by the Constitutional Court, after former president Park Geun-hye. The decision marked the longest impeachment deliberation — 111 days — in the country's history.
Wang, of Sogang University, said that the ruling will change the political landscape of South Korea, with the opposition party now in a compelling position in the next election.
Yet the adjunct professor said polarization will remain as a key challenge for the South Korean people and politicians.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol was removed from office on April 4 after the country's Constitutional Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld a parliamentary vote to impeach him over the Dec 3 martial law decree.
According to South Korean law, Yoon will be immediately removed from office and an early presidential election must take place within 60 days.
Reading the verdict in the court with a live broadcast, Moon Hyung-bae, acting chief of the Constitutional Court, dismantled every justification Yoon provided for imposing martial law.
"The negative effects on the constitutional order and the repercussions from the defendant's violations of the law are grave, making the benefits of protecting the Constitution by dismissing the defendant larger than the national losses from dismissing the president by an overwhelming degree," Moon said, as quoted by the Yonhap News Agency.
Yoon declared martial law on Dec 3 evening. Just six hours later, it was revoked by the opposition-led National Assembly.
A motion to impeach Yoon was passed in the National Assembly on Dec 14, and the constitutional court held 11 hearings on Yoon's impeachment. Yoon attended eight hearings but did not attend the verdict session.
Earlier in the day, South Korean police issued the highest alert level, mobilizing all police forces to maintain public order. Some 20,000 personnel from 338 units were dispatched nationwide, with around 14,000 of them placed in Seoul.
Around 7,500 personnel were deployed near the Constitutional Court, Gwanghwamun, and the surrounding Jongno area.
The ruling came 111 days after the case was filed, making it the longest presidential impeachment case in South Korea's history.
In previous cases, the court took 63 days to reinstate former president Roh Moo-hyun in 2004, and 91 days to remove Park Geun-hye in 2017.
SEOUL -- South Korea's constitutional court will decide whether to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol on April 4, the court said Tuesday.
The ruling on Yoon will be delivered at 11:00 am local time (0200 GMT) on Friday and it will be broadcast live, the court said in a statement.
The police will issue the highest level of emergency order to deploy about 20,000 riot policemen of 338 units across the country for expected protests and crowd control on Friday.
Of the total, about 14,000 riot policemen will be deployed in Seoul, where the constitutional court is located.
On that day, detectives will be placed inside the court, and if protesters break into the court, they will be caught red-handed.
Police commandos as well as paramedics and ambulances will also be on standby around the court to prepare for emergencies.
Yoon declared an emergency martial law on the night of Dec 3, 2024, but it was revoked by the opposition-led National Assembly hours later.
A motion to impeach Yoon was passed in the National Assembly on Dec 14, 2024, and since then the constitutional court held 11 hearings on Yoon's impeachment.
Yoon was apprehended in the presidential office on Jan 15 and was indicted under detention on Jan. 26 as a suspected ringleader of insurrection, becoming the country's first sitting president to be arrested and prosecuted.
He was released on March 8 as the prosecution decided not to appeal against a court's release approval.
A South Korean appeals court on Wednesday acquitted main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung of an election law violation, reducing the risk that he may not run in a potential early presidential election.
After a session of about 100 minutes, the Seoul High Court overturned a ruling by a lower court in November that handed Lee a one-year sentence, suspended for two years, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Lee, leader of the Democratic Party, or DP, was charged with breaking the country's election law by making false statements about a real estate development project in Seongnam during the 2022 presidential election campaign. He served as mayor of the city near Seoul in 2010-18.
Following the ruling, Lee's supporters and DP lawmakers cheered outside the court. Demonstrators in the opposing camp protested against the ruling and some were reduced to tears.
"I would like to thank the court for delivering a proper ruling based on truth and justice," Lee said.
Instead of concentrating on his trial, Lee said there should be more focus on preventing wildfires that continue to ravage the country's southeast regions, or improving people's lives.
The ruling gained wide attention as Lee is considered the DP's most likely candidate in an early presidential election if President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment is upheld.
The Constitutional Court has 180 days to decide whether to remove or reinstate Yoon, who was impeached in December by the opposition-led National Assembly over his brief martial law declaration that triggered turmoil in the country.
If Yoon is removed from office, an early election must be held within 60 days.
Although prosecutors can appeal to the Supreme Court on the Lee verdict, he has largely resolved judicial risks of being disqualified from the next presidential election.
'Deep regret'
Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, expressed deep regret over the court's ruling.
Kwon said he believed prosecutors would appeal against the verdict so the Supreme Court could make its judgment and end the legal controversy.
The ruling in Lee's case would have no effect on Yoon's impeachment trial because it is an independent case, he said.
"The DP should not expect the public sentiment toward it to change," said Shin Dong-uk, spokesman for the People Power Party, noting that Lee has four prior convictions and is still facing 12 charges and five trials.
DP chief spokesman Cho Seungrae said the ruling was fair and just. He asked the ruling party to accept the court's decision.
"We also urged the Constitutional Court to set the date (for Yoon's impeachment trial) as soon as possible," Cho said. "People are eagerly waiting for the chaos to end."
In a Facebook post, Park Joomin, a DP lawmaker, said the ruling represented a victory for common sense and justice.
"The verdict on (Yoon's) impeachment is the only thing left," Park wrote.
It has been a month since the Constitutional Court concluded the final hearing of Yoon's impeachment trial.
The ruling on former president Roh Moo-hyun's case was delivered 14 days after the hearings concluded, and it took 11 days for a ruling in former president Park Geun-hye's case to be delivered.
Observers initially expected the Yoon ruling to come in mid-March, but the court has not announced a date yet.
Considering that the court typically announces a verdict date two to three days in advance for security and preparation reasons, the ruling could be pushed back to next month.
kelly@chinadailyapac.com
South Korea's Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has been reinstated as acting president after the country's Constitutional Court dismissed a motion for his impeachment 87 days after the motion was filed.
The motion was dismissed in a five-to-one vote by the court's eight justices on Monday.
The ruling overturned the National Assembly's motion to impeach Han on Dec 27, less than two weeks after he took over from President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was impeached following his short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec 3.
The five justices who voted to dismiss the motion said there was a lack of evidence to support the claim that Han violated the Constitution or the law concerning martial law, a court statement said.
One justice voted to uphold Han's impeachment, and two others said the impeachment motion was invalid because the quorum in the assembly did not meet the required two-thirds majority, or 200 votes, that applies when a president is impeached.
The opposition-led parliament submitted the motion after Han refused to appoint three more justices to the Constitutional Court that will preside over Yoon's impeachment trial.
The nine-member bench now has only eight justices because one has yet to be appointed by the country's acting president.
Though Han's refusal to appoint Constitutional Court justices was deemed unconstitutional, the court statement said there was a lack of evidence to suggest it "was motivated by an intent or purpose to incapacitate the Constitutional Court "in Yoon's impeachment trial.
Therefore, "it could not be concluded that the respondent had betrayed the trust of the people" to remove him from office, the court said.
With the court's ruling taking effect immediately, Han was directly reinstated as prime minister and acting president.
In a televised speech, Han vowed to protect South Korea's interests amid a global trade war initiated by the US. A deeply divided society can satisfy no one, Han said, and the government and the political parties need to change.
"I sincerely ask for bipartisan cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties so that the Republic of Korea can once again leap forward and overcome the current crisis."
The National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik said he respected the Constitutional Court's decision on Han's impeachment trial and called for Han to immediately appoint the ninth justice, Yonhap News Agency reported.
'Stern warning'
The ruling People Power Party said the verdict is "a stern warning from the judiciary against excessive legislative violence by the opposition party", which holds a majority in the assembly.
The interim leader of the PPP, Kwon Young-se, said he believes the ruling over Han's impeachment case will not have a direct impact on Yoon's impeachment case as the two are separate issues.
Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, said the Constitutional Court should immediately deliver its ruling on Yoon's impeachment trial.
The ruling on Han's impeachment marked the beginning of a critical week in South Korean politics.
An appeal by the main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung against his conviction for election law violations, which will determine his eligibility for future presidential elections, is set for a verdict on Wednesday.
Legal analysts said the verdict on Yoon's impeachment would closely follow Han's case and could be delivered as early as Friday.
The Constitutional Court has 180 days from Dec 14, the day it received Yoon's impeachment case, to decide whether to remove Yoon from office or restore his presidential powers.
If he is impeached, a presidential election must be held within 60 days of his exit. If the impeachment motion is dismissed, Yoon will be reinstated.
Yoon also faces a separate criminal trial on charges of leading an insurrection by declaring martial law.
The Seoul Central District Court on Monday held the second preparatory hearing of Yoon's criminal trial in Yoon's absence. The first formal hearing was scheduled for April 14.
Xinhua contributed to this story.
kelly@chinadailyapac.com
SEOUL -- South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was reinstated in his position on Monday as the constitutional court rejected a motion by the parliament to impeach him.
Moon Hyung-bae, acting chief of the court, said the motion was rejected as five justices rejected it while one upheld it amid the dismissal opinion from the remaining two.
The nine-member bench currently has eight justices as one has yet to be appointed by the country's acting president.
Despite confirmation that Han's impeachment process was legitimate, the court said neither evidence nor objective materials identified his involvement in impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol's martial law imposition and insurrection.
The court said Han's refusal to appoint constitutional court justices was unconstitutional, but it noted that evidence and objective materials failed to identify his intention to neutralize the ongoing deliberation on Yoon's impeachment.
With the rejection, Han was immediately reinstated as prime minister and acting president as the ruling took effect right after delivering the decision.
The impeachment motion against Han was passed by the opposition-controlled National Assembly on Dec. 27 last year following the impeachment of Yoon on Dec. 14 over his botched martial law imposition.
Choi Sang-mok, economy and finance minister who doubles as deputy prime minister for economic affairs, became the acting president in December last year after the impeachments of both the president and prime minister.
Yoon declared an emergency martial law on the night of Dec. 3, but it was revoked by the National Assembly hours later.
SEOUL -- South Korea's opposition parties on Friday submitted an impeachment motion against Choi Sang-mok, deputy prime minister for economic affairs who became acting president in December last year following the impeachments of both president and prime minister.
The main liberal opposition Democratic Party and four other minor parties submitted the impeachment motion for four reasons, including Choi's alleged involvement in the impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol's botched martial law imposition and his refusal to appoint a constitutional court justice for over three weeks.
Because of Choi's appointment refusal, the nine-member constitutional court currently has eight justices.
The constitutional court planned to decide whether to impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on March 24.
The impeachment motion against Han was passed by the opposition-controlled National Assembly on Dec. 27 last year following the impeachment of President Yoon on Dec 14.
Yoon declared an emergency martial law on the night of Dec 3, but it was revoked by the National Assembly hours later.
SEOUL -- South Korea's constitutional court said Thursday that it will decide whether to impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on March 24.
The ruling on Han will be delivered at 10:00 am local time (0100 GMT) on March 24, the court said in a statement.
The impeachment motion against Han was passed by the opposition-controlled National Assembly on Dec. 27 last year following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol on Dec 14 over his botched martial law imposition.
If the motion is rejected, Han will be reinstated, but he will be removed from office if it is upheld.
For the removal, the consent of at least six justices is required. The nine-member bench currently has eight justices.
The National Assembly listed five reasons for Han's impeachment, such as involvement in the martial law imposition, refusal to appoint three constitutional court justices, and vetoes on special counsel bills targeting Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon-hee.
Han denied the allegations, claiming that he opposed the martial law imposition.
SEOUL -- The South Korean police planned to mobilize all available riot police across the country on the day when the constitutional court decides whether to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol over his botched martial law imposition, Yonhap news agency said Wednesday.
The police will issue the highest level of emergency order to deploy about 20,000 riot policemen of 338 units across the country for expected protests and crowd control when the court reaches a conclusion on Yoon's impeachment.
Of the total, about 14,000 riot policemen will be deployed in Seoul, where the constitutional court is located.
On the day of sentencing, detectives will be placed inside the court, and if protesters break into the court, they will be caught red-handed.
Police commandos, as well as paramedics and ambulances, will also be on standby around the court to prepare for emergencies.
Yoon was released on March 8 as the prosecution decided not to appeal against a court's release approval.
The Seoul Central District Court approved the release of the arrested president, accepting Yoon's request to cancel his detention made by his legal team on Feb 4.
Yoon was apprehended in the presidential office on Jan 15 and was indicted under detention on Jan 26 as a suspected ringleader of insurrection, becoming the country's first sitting president to be arrested and prosecuted.
Yoon declared an emergency martial law on the night of Dec 3 last year, but it was revoked by the opposition-led National Assembly hours later.
A motion to impeach Yoon was passed in the National Assembly on Dec 14, and since then the constitutional court held 11 hearings on Yoon's impeachment with its final verdict widely expected to be delivered this week.
SEOUL -- A South Korean court approved the release of arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday, opening a possibility for the impeached leader to be tried without detention.
The Seoul Central District Court accepted Yoon's request to cancel his arrest, which was made by Yoon's legal team on Feb 4.
Without the prosecution's appeal, Yoon will be released, but the appeal will suspend his release until another judge of the court decides on it.
The court said the arrest cancellation is desirable to ensure a procedural clarity and dispel doubts about the investigation process, stressing that if Yoon's criminal trial proceedings are carried out with controversies left unresolved, it could lead to an annulment at a higher court or a retrial cause.
During a relevant hearing on Feb 20, Yoon's side argued that the impeached leader was indicted under detention after the expiration of the arrest warrant period, while the prosecution claimed that it was a legitimate indictment.
The court noted that the defendant Yoon was prosecuted after the expiration of his arrest period as the arrest period should be calculated based on an actual time, not by date.
Yoon was apprehended in the presidential residence on Jan 15 and was indicted under detention on Jan 26 as a suspected ringleader of insurrection, becoming the country's first sitting president to be arrested and prosecuted.
Prosecutors brought the accusation against Yoon at 6:52 pm local time on Jan 26, but the court said Yoon's arrest period expired at 9:07 am local time on the same day.
The court ruled that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has no right to investigate an insurrection case while the CIO and the prosecution divided and used the arrest period without a legal basis.
After an initial investigation, the CIO referred Yoon's insurrection case to the prosecution in January.
Yoon declared an emergency martial law on the night of Dec 3 last year, but it was revoked by the opposition-led National Assembly hours later.
A motion to impeach Yoon was passed in the National Assembly on Dec 14, and since then the constitutional court held 11 hearings on Yoon's impeachment with its final verdict widely expected to be delivered next week.
