2. David Oh
3. BBC Korean Service
4. Image source, BBC/David Oh
5. The mood within the pro-Yoon camp has been calm so far, although some poeple are evidently in dismay and grief.
6. Barely an hour after the ruling was delivered, many Yoon supporters were seen packing their bags and leaving.
7. We still see lines of riot police standing guard here, in helmets and carrying shields. Locla media had reported that some 14,000 police officers have been deployed to respond in anticipation of potential violence and unrest.
10. In the wake of Yoon’s removal, Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has said his government will prioritise the ties between the two countries.
11. Whatever the outcome of the upcoming election, cooperation between the two countries will be Tokyo’s “top priority”, he said, according to the Reuters news agency.
14. As we’ve been reporting, the mood among Yoon’s supporters quickly darkened after the verdict. Here are the photos from their rally earlier.
15. Image source, Reuters
16. Image source, Reuters
17. Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
18. Image source, Reuters
21. Katy Watson and Simon Atkinson
22. We are at an anti-Yoon camp in Seoul, where people have been reacting with jubilation to the constitutional court verdict to uphold the president’s impeachment.
23. “I can’t calm down. I am so happy because of this impeachment. I’m just sad it has taken so long to make this decision,” said 66-year-old Won Seonhee.
24. 
25. Image caption,
26. Woo Seon-hee (left, in grey) attended the rally with a friend
27. We asked Haeson Song, 30, how she felt. “I’m overwhelmed,” she said after a long pause. “I don’t have the words in any language – Korean or English.”
28. She said she felt both hopeful and anxious about the future of her country.
29. 
30. Image caption,
31. Haeson Song held up this handwritten poster at the rally
32. Junha Lee, a 25-year-old student, said he thought April’s Fool had come early in December when martial law was imposed.
33. It was important to witness the decision today, he said, while shaking with emotion.
34. 
35. Image caption,
36. Junha Lee played his trumpet as people around him celebrated
39. An angry Yoon supporter has been arrested for damaging a police bus window near the constitutional court, local media reported.
40. In a photo published by local media, a man, in body armour and with a gas mask and a helmet, can be seen holding a long club as he attacks a bus window, with a big hole smashed through the glass.
41. Some people around tried to stop him, according to reports. The police eventually tracked him down and arrested him.
42. South Korean police have mobilised “all available resources” today to thwart any possible violence.
45. Jean Mackenzie
46. Seoul correspondent
47. You’d be forgiven for thinking South Korea’s president had already been impeached. In December he was temporarily removed from office, after parliament voted him out.
48. He was stripped of his power, but was still president in name. It was up to South Korea’s Constitutional Court to confirm his impeachment and permanently remove him, which it has just done.
49. Over the past few months, a panel of judges heard evidence from those involved that night – from military commanders, intelligence officers and politicians, to President Yoon himself.
50. The question the court had to answer was: did Yoon violate the constitution when he declared martial law? The constitution states that martial law should only be used during wartime or other comparable emergencies, and that members of parliament must be given the opportunity to vote on it.
51. During the trial, the president downplayed his intentions on the night of martial law, claiming he merely wanted to warn South Koreans about the dangers of the opposition party. He said he dispatched troops to keep the peace.
52. But according to others, Yoon ordered the army to drag lawmakers out of parliament to stop them from voting down his decree.
53. Today’s ruling makes it official: Mr Yoon is no longer South Korea’s president. A snap election will be held within 60 days to elect his replacement.
56. Rachel Lee
57. BBC Korean Service
58. Image source, Kwon Ye-young
59. Kwon Ye-young, 26, a representative of Young South Koreans Against Impeachment, watched the verdict outside Seoul Western District Court on Friday.
60. “This is devastating. I’m disappointed that the judges don’t fully understand what constitutes a national emergency or empathise with those trying to save Korea,” Kwon said.
61. She criticised the court for focusing solely on Yoon’s military mobilisation rather than considering the broader “structural war” affecting politics, the economy, education, and culture.
62. “This country is in crisis. People are losing hope and energy, and now we need to reorganise ourselves,” she added.
63. Kwon says the atmosphere was tense leading up to the verdict.
64. “Now that Yoon has been impeached, some people are in tears. The situation feels dire,” she said.
65. As for the next steps, Kwon admitted there are no concrete plans yet.
66. “Right now, it’s difficult to accept this result. We need to figure out how to move forward and regain our strength,” she said.
69. Jake Kwon
70. Earlier this year, we saw some pro-Yoon supporters storming and vandalising a courthouse after a judge granted an arrest warrant against Yoon.
71. Now that he’s been impeached, we could see similar scenes of protests at some point.
72. In 2017, when then President Park Geun Hye was impeached, there were scenes of violence between police and pro-Park supporters which culminated in the death of four people.
73. Yoon will also need to vacate the presidential residence in Hannam-dong. In the case of former president Park, she took two days to vacate the residence.
74. If Yoon refuses to leave, it could trigger a stand-off with police.
77. South Korea’s acting president Han Duck-soo has issued an emergency order to maintain public safety, local media reported.
78. He says that his administration would maintain a solid security posture and avoid leaving a vacuum in the country’s security and diplomacy.
79. Han will continue serving as the country’s interim leader before the next president is elected.
82. Leehyun Choi
83. 
84. Yoon Suk Yeol’s supporters have reacted in anger, calling the court’s decision “absolutely unacceptable”.
85. “It signals [the] total collapse of Korean society,” claimed 60-year-old Kim Yongtae.
86. “We are ruled under the opposition… the people must rise up to reclaim democracy and freedom in this country. I will never forgive the judges, who are clearly corrupt.”
87. Earlier, as the judge read out his reasonings, we heard deep sighs and cursing amongst Yoon’s supporters.
88. One woman had shouted “Liar, the judges are all liars”.
91. The mood has turned from anxiety to euphoria at the anti-Yoon rally. Many of the protesters joined demonstrations since last December, calling for Yoon to be removed from office for his martial law declaration. Now they are celebrating with Yoon permanently gone.
92. Image source, Reuters
93. Image source, Getty Images
94. Image source, Getty Images
95. Image source, Getty Images
98. Jean Mackenzie
99. Seoul correspondent
100. Now we have a verdict, the immediate question is: will Yoon and his supporters accept it?
101. Yoon and his lawyers have fought the courts at every step, accusing the legal system of being broken. His fanatically loyal supporters have claimed the courts are biased.
102. If they refuse to accept today’s impeachment, South Korea’s political crisis could get messier.
103. Even if Yoon does concede, Korea is now worryingly divided, and heading towards an undoubtedly fraught election.
104. Thanks to unfounded conspiracy theories, more than a quarter of people believe that the previous election was rigged and no longer trust the voting system.
105. Some people will tell you today’s verdict shows that South Korea’s democracy and its institutions have triumphed. But there are others who are still concerned, who think his martial law declaration exposed flaws in the system.
106. 3 December has fundamentally changed South Korea. Martial law is no longer something hidden away in its dark dictatorial past. It is a real threat; a tool that can be brandished by zealous politicians.
107. There are now serious calls to change South Korea’s constitution – to strengthen its institutions and limit the powers of the president, to protect against this happening again.
108. For now, how Yoon responds could determine how quickly South Korea can recover.
111. Simon Atkinson
112. I imagine this would be the sort of scene if South Korea ever wins the World Cup.
113. Thousands of people watching a TV screen in a square in the city centre leapt up and down when the final verdict was read out, as if a winning goal was scored.
114. Now, after the final whistle, they are breaking into small groups dancing in circles. One even has a bubble machine.
115. Hundreds of flags are being waved.
118. The opposition Democratic Party has described today’s verdict as a great victory for the people, South Korean news agency Yonhap reports.
121. “The whole process of this trial itself was not lawful and unfair,” says Yoon Gap-geun, Yoon’s attorney.
122. “And the result is something that we completely don’t understand from the perspective of law,” he told reporters after the ruling.
123. “I feel regrettable that this completely is a political decision,” he added.
126. We’ve just heard from Yoon’s ruling People Power Party – they’ve said they accept the court’s results and apologise to the Korean people.
129. “It’s a victory for the Constitution, democracy and the people,” Jung Chung-rae, the Democratic Party lawmaker who served as the impeachment prosecutor in the trial, says after the ruling.
130. “I want to thank the people, who defeated the enemy of the democracy using the democracy,” he added.
133. Image source, David Oh/BBC
134. Image caption,
135. Yoon supporters cried out in anger and disappointment at the verdict
136. Meanwhile our BBC correspondents with the pro-Yoon camp are reporting widespread anger and tears, as news of Yoon’s removal from office is setting in. Boos and cries can be heard across the crowd.
137. “It doesn’t make sense!” a young man shouted.
138. “Korea is over,” declared another.
141. The anti-Yoon crowd has exploded into cheers, with many hugging each other and waving their flags vigorously. The mood on the ground is jubilant, with one BBC correspondent saying it is as if the South Korean team has won the World Cup.
144. The verdict is in: the panel of judges in the Constitutional Court have unanimously voted to uphold Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment.
145. This means he is immediately removed from his position as president. The country now has 60 days to hold a snap election to replace him.

Page 2

2. Yoon’s implementation of martial law “damaged people’s basic political rights”, Justice Moon has gone on to say, adding that it “violated the principles of the rule of law and democracy”.
5. Yoon’s deployment of troops to enforce martial law “infringed on the validity of the National Assembly”, Justice Moon says, referring to South Korea’s parliament.
6. “He did not uphold his duties and went against the people they were supposed to protect,” he says.
9. The court has found that Yoon’s exercise of “national emergency powers” was not justified, the judge said.
10. “There was no existence of the national emergency situation,” says Justice Moon Hyung-bae, who is acting president of the constitutional court.
11. “It was a situation that could have been solved through other means other than military deployment,” he says.
14. President Yoon did not follow procedures when he implemented martial law, the judge says.
17. The judge is now going through the arguments from both sides – those who support and those who are against the impeachment. The debate was over whether Yoon’s declaration of martial law was unconstitutional. The conclusion of the verdict is expected to be delivered shortly.
20. The eight Constitutional Court judges have entered the chamber. One of them has started delivering the verdict. Stay with us as we bring you the latest.
23. David Oh
24. BBC Korean Service
25. Image source, David Oh/BBC
26. Image caption,
27. Crowds watching the verdict on the big screen
28. Just minutes from now, the fate of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol will be decided.
29. South Korea’s Constitutional Court is set to rule at 11:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on whether to remove him from office or reinstate him.
30. If the court upholds the impeachment, Yoon will be officially ousted, and a new presidential election must be held within two months.
31. If reinstated, he will immediately resume his duties.
32. While the ruling will determine Yoon’s political future, it won’t put an end to the unrest sparked by his short-lived imposition of martial law.
33. Tensions are already high, with thousands of pro- and anti-Yoon demonstrators taking to the streets in Seoul.
34. Police are on full alert for potential clashes, and the highest-level ‘Gap-ho emergency’ has been declared nationwide, allowing for the full mobilisation of security forces.
37. Just minutes ago Yoon’s legal team entered the courthouse, stopping briefly to speak to reporters.
38. “All Yoon has done was exercise the emergency presidential power given to him by the Constitution, amidst the opposition and pro-North leftist force’s attempt at paralysing the government,” said Yoon Gap-geun, the impeached president’s attorney.
39. “We fully made this case during the trial. We understand that the judges fully understand this. We anticipate their wise judgement.”
40. As we’ve reported earlier, Yoon is not expected to attend the ruling in person due to security concerns.
43. David Oh
44. BBC Korean Service
45. 
46. Lee Mi-young, 59, said she took a half-day off from work to come to this street.
47. “I’ve been on streets over the past four months, how can I miss this historical day?” she said.
48. Lee said she firmly believe that the court will uphold Yoon’s impeachment. “I believe the judges will decide with majority, because his wrongdoings are obvious.”
51. Image source, BBC/Simon Atkinson
52. Image caption,
53. Only police and media are allowed to be outside the Constitutional Court this morning
54. Regardless of the outcome of Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, police have mobilised “all available resources” to thwart possible violence, Lee Ho-young, the acting chief of the Korean National Police Agency, has said.
55. He believes some people “may become agitated and engage in extreme or violent protests” on Friday.
56. More than 14,000 anti-riot police are being deployed in Seoul, where rallies for and against the embattled leader are being held.
57. Some schools, shops and tourist spots – such as the Gyeongbok and Changdeok palaces – are closed in anticipation of the Constitutional Court’s ruling.
60. Shaimaa Khalil
61. 
62. “Cancel the impeachment,” the crowd is chanting at a pro-Yoon rally outside the presidential palace. US and South Korean flags are being sold – both symbols of the pro-Yoon camp.
63. Several people are sporting Stop the Steal pins – the slogan used by Donald Trump supporters that has been co-opted by pro-Yoon conservatives.
64. 
65. “We came from Daegu city because we oppose the impeachment and we’re here to support Yoon,” Baek Hasoon, 73, told the BBC. He and his friends are dressed in skirts with the Korean flag.
66. “It would be unimaginable if he’s impeached. What he did in December awakened the nation to all our problems,” Baek said.
67. His friend, 73-year-old Park Soonjeo told us: “If he is impeached we’ll continue to rally for him.”
68. “But it won’t happen,” Park added, as the friends laughed.
69. As the national anthem was played at the scene, many of them closed their eyes, looking sombre.
70. Meanwhile, police in the riot gear continue to arrive and are surrounding the crowd.
71. 
74. Image source, Yuna Ku/BBC
75. Image caption,
76. Pro-Yoon protesters gathering at the presidential residence
77. In front of the presidential palace, pro-Yoon rallies are taking place on the upper section of the street near the palace, while anti-presidential rallies are held on the lower section of the same street.
78. Security is tight and the police is guarding at each point. We had to present our journalist identification four times at different checkpoints to move from one rally to another.
79. It seems that ordinary pedestrians cannot pass through.
82. Katy Watson
83. Image source, Simon Atkinson/BBC
84. There’s a really upbeat atmosphere among anti-Yoon supporters here – people are dancing and singing while they wait for the announcement.
85. Some people are on large mats, shoes off and relaxing in front of the big screen set up to broadcast the verdict. Others are sitting on little stools for a bit more comfort.
86. It’s getting packed now and the sun is out. People are shading themselves with placards, saying ‘immediate removal of Yoon’ as they wait.
89. Yuna Ku
90. BBC Korean Service
91. 
92. Lee Jangyun, 58, has participated in multiple pro-Yoon protests ever since the president’s declaration of martial law. Now, he’s awaiting for the final verdict with other protesters gathered around the presidential residence.
93. “The court will dismiss the impeachment case. There’s no other option. I won’t accept it.”
94. “I’m against the impeachment because I’m worried that Lee Jae-myung [the opposition party leader] might step in.”
95. “I think there are too many leftists in the country.”
96. 
97. Also at the rally is Kim Dong-hyeon, a 30-year-old IT developer.
98. “Several years ago, I participated in a rally in support of President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment. However, I didn’t know much at that time.”
99. “After President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, I looked into the reason and eventually acknowledged that the opposition party has been disrupting the government. So yes, President Yoon’s speech [after the martial law] influenced me a lot.”
100. “I’m worried that if the court upholds the impeachment, both the executive and legislative branch would be controlled by the opposition party and therefore undermine the separation of powers.”
103. Yoon himself will not attend the ruling on the impeachment, his legal team announced on Thursday, due to concerns about his security and the need to maintain order.
104. Police have warned that there could be violence in the South Korean capital, Seoul, where protests for and against Yoon are being held.
105. Instead, he will be watching the verdict from his residence, local media reports.
108. Simon Atkinson
109. Reporting from Seoul
110. Image source, Simon Atkinson/BBC
111. The area around the constitutional court is a fortress.
112. Nobody apart from a few people from the media can get near the area thanks to a wall of hundreds of police buses in the surrounding streets.
113. And in a sign of the potential for unrest, we’re seeing row after row of black bags packed with police riot gear on every street corner. We’ve seen a few officers already fully kitted out.
114. Image source, Simon Atkinson/BBC
117. Katy Watson
118. Image source, Katy Watson/BBC
119. Hyeon Ji Kim, 25, has been camping on the streets of Seoul since 11pm last night. She spent the night with other supporters of impeachment near Anguk station.
120. “I’m here because I want to be with everyone for this historical announcement,” she said.
121. She says she’s pro-impeachment because she wants to stand up for democracy, and wants to show hope for the younger generations here in South Korea.
122. Image source, Katy Watson/BBC
123. Meanwhile, performance artist Aejeong Ha is singing at the pro-impeachment gathering, waving a flag.
124. “President Yoon should be removed,” the 61-year-old chants with her friends. They want all eight Constitutional Court judges to vote in favour of impeachment.
125. “I want to stand up for my country so the same thing doesn’t happen again – this shouldn’t be allowed,” she said, adding that young people need to be safe and able to live in a democracy.
126. “I can no longer stand by to watch the president abuse his powers.”
129. Today’s ruling, while broadcast live across the country, has also been opened to the public.
130. Twenty seats at the constitutional court were raffled off. More than 90,000 people applied for a chance to be included in the draw, according to local media.
131. During the last ruling on a president’s impeachment in March 2017, more than 19,000 people applied for 24 seats that were open to the general public.
134. We are in the final hour before hearing the verdict. The BBC’s Yuna Ku describes the scene in front of Yoon’s residence:
135. Media caption,
136. Watch: The BBC is in Seoul as South Korea braces for Yoon impeachment ruling
139. It’s a historic day for South Koreans, and many early birds have been preparing since last night. Some protesters have been camping at various locations, bringing sleeping bags and space blankets with them.
140. Image source, Getty Images
141. Image caption,
142. People protesting against Yoon have been gathering near the entrance of the Constitutional Court this morning
143. Image source, Getty Images
144. Image caption,
145. An anti-Yoon protester sleeping before his day begins
146. Image source, Getty Images
147. Image caption,
148. Some have been sleeping overnight out in the open
149. 
150. Image caption,
151. Some of Yoon’s supporters have been gathering outside his residence

Page 3

2. It’s a historic day for South Koreans, and many early birds have been preparing since last night. Some protesters have been camping at various locations, bringing sleeping bags and space blankets with them.
3. Image source, Getty Images
4. Image caption,
5. People protesting against Yoon have been gathering near the entrance of the Constitutional Court this morning
6. Image source, Getty Images
7. Image caption,
8. An anti-Yoon protester sleeping before his day begins
9. Image source, Getty Images
10. Image caption,
11. Some have been sleeping overnight out in the open
12. 
13. Image caption,
14. Some of Yoon’s supporters have been gathering outside his residence
17. Image source, Getty Images
18. On 3 December 2024, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, taking South Korea and the rest of the world by surprise.
19. He claimed that he was introducing martial rule to save the country from North Korean sympathisers. But it was widely seen as a manoeuvre to deal with his political enemies, as he has been increasingly hamstrung by a strong opposition in parliament.
20. Since then, Yoon has been impeached by lawmakers and charged with insurrection. The opposition also used its parliamentary majority to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo.
21. Yoon was arrested in January, and released in March after his detention was overturned on technical grounds.
22. South Korea has been steeped in political turmoil for months now, and its people have become even more divided.
23. The hope is that today’s court ruling, which decides whether Yoon’s impeachment will be upheld, will bring some closure to the crisis.
26. Katy Watson
27. Image source, BBC/Katy Watson
28. Outside the Constitutional Court there are police buses lined up tightly, functioning as barriers to stop any protestors coming close.
29. There’s a sea of plastic floral tributes that appear to be from pro-Yoon supporters, cordoned off and piled up high in front of the court, along the hedge.
30. One reads “President Yoon did not commit insurrection”. Another says “I firmly oppose the impeachment”.
31. They’ve been pushed aside to make way for the police security, but are a pointed message by his supporters on a day full of tension.
34. Jean Mackenzie
35. Seoul correspondent
36. This case has been heard by eight judges. For Yoon’s impeachment be upheld, at least six of them must agree to this. If three or more dismiss the impeachment, he would be allowed to return to office.
37. For a while, it was almost taken for granted that Yoon would be impeached. This was seen as a relatively straightforward case that would be decided quickly.
38. Legal minds argued he did not have the right to declare martial law and he did not follow the correct process when doing so. According to South Korea’s constitution, martial law should only be used during wartime or a similar emergency, the government must be consulted, and parliament must have a say.
39. But the verdict has taken far longer than expected, leaving experts to wonder whether the judges might have been more conflicted than first assumed.
40. So, on what grounds might the judges dismiss the impeachment? Some legal scholars think they could take issue with the way the trial has been conducted, or decide that Yoon’s procedural missteps were not serious enough to justify barring him from office.
41. One of the most contentious issues they have been considering is whether he ordered the army to remove lawmakers from parliament on the night of martial law, to prevent them voting down the order.
44. The impeachment of a president is not uncharted territory for South Korea, which last removed a president through this process in 2016. Ironically, Yoon, then a prosecutor, had led the probe against the former leader Park Geun-hye, which later resulted in her being impeached.
45. First, an impeachment bill has to be tabled by a majority of lawmakers in the National Assembly, which in Yoon’s case was led by the Democratic Party.
46. Then, at least two-thirds of the 300-member assembly has to vote in favour of the motion. On 14 December, 204 MPs voted in favour of Yoon’s impeachment, leading to his suspension.
47. Then a trial commenced before the Constitutional Court – we’re waiting for its verdict today.
48. If Yoon is impeached, a poll must be held within 60 days to elect the country’s next leader.
49. 
52. David Oh
53. BBC Korean Service
54. Image source, Getty Images
55. It’s past 09:00, and the crowds are already growing outside the presidential residence ahead of the Constitutional Court’s impeachment ruling on President Yoon.
56. Many of them are pro-Yoon supporters. Some are taking selfies in front of Yoon’s posters and some are chanting: “Impeachment invalid”.
57. More people are expected to join as the decision approaches.
60. It’s a tense day in South Korea as the country waits for a verdict that will determine whether its president, Yoon Suk Yeol, will be finally impeached and removed from office.
61. Yoon caused political chaos in December when he declared martial law, which was later overturned and led to parliament voting to impeach him.
62. Now, it’s up to the Constitutional Court to decide whether to dismiss or reinstate the suspended president.
63. Pro-Yoon protesters have already gathered outside the court, calling for him to be reinstated, while his opponents are calling for his immediate dismissal.
64. He is South Korea’s first president to be arrested while in office, and his dismissal or reinstatement will have long-lasting effects on the country’s political future.
65. Stay with us as we bring you the latest.