2. Leehyun Choi
3. BBC News
4. 
5. Yoon Suk Yeol’s supporters have reacted in anger, calling the court’s decision “absolutely unacceptable”.
6. “It signals [the] total collapse of Korean society,” claimed 60-year-old Kim Yongtae.
7. “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.”
8. Earlier, as the judge read out his reasonings, we heard deep sighs and cursing amongst Yoon’s supporters.
9. One woman had shouted “Liar, the judges are all liars”.
12. 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.
13. Image source, Reuters
14. Image source, Getty Images
15. Image source, Getty Images
16. Image source, Get
19. Jean Mackenzie
20. Seoul correspondent
21. Now we have a verdict, the immediate question is: will Yoon and his supporters accept it?
22. 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.
23. If they refuse to accept today’s impeachment, South Korea’s political crisis could get messier.
24. Even if Yoon does concede, Korea is now worryingly divided, and heading towards an undoubtedly fraught election.
25. 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.
26. 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.
27. 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.
28. 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.
29. For now, how Yoon responds could determine how quickly South Korea can recover.
32. Simon Atkinson
33. BBC News
34. I imagine this would be the sort of scene if South Korea ever wins the World Cup.
35. 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.
36. Now, after the final whistle, they are breaking into small groups dancing in circles. One even has a bubble machine.
37. Hundreds of flags are being waved.
40. The opposition Democratic Party has described today’s verdict as a great victory for the people, South Korean news agency Yonhap reports.
43. “The whole process of this trial itself was not lawful and unfair,” says Yoon Gap-geun, Yoon’s attorney.
44. “And the result is something that we completely don’t understand from the perspective of law,” he told reporters after the ruling.
45. “I feel regrettable that this completely is a political decision,” he added.
48. 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.
51. “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.
52. “I want to thank the people, who defeated the enemy of the democracy using the democracy,” he added.
55. Image source, David Oh/BBC
56. Image caption,
57. Yoon supporters cried out in anger and disappointment at the verdict
58. 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.
59. “It doesn’t make sense!” a young man shouted.
60. “Korea is over,” declared another.
63. 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.
66. The verdict is in: the panel of judges in the Constitutional Court have unanimously voted to uphold Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment.
67. 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.
70. 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”.
73. 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.
74. “He did not uphold his duties and went against the people they were supposed to protect,” he says.
77. The court has found that Yoon’s exercise of “national emergency powers” was not justified, the judge said.
78. “There was no existence of the national emergency situation,” says Justice Moon Hyung-bae, who is acting president of the constitutional court.
79. “It was a situation that could have been solved through other means other than military deployment,” he says.
82. President Yoon did not follow procedures when he implemented martial law, the judge says.
85. 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.
88. 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.
91. David Oh
92. BBC Korean Service
93. Image source, David Oh/BBC
94. Image caption,
95. Crowds watching the verdict on the big screen
96. Just minutes from now, the fate of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol will be decided.
97. 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.
98. If the court upholds the impeachment, Yoon will be officially ousted, and a new presidential election must be held within two months.
99. If reinstated, he will immediately resume his duties.
100. 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.
101. Tensions are already high, with thousands of pro- and anti-Yoon demonstrators taking to the streets in Seoul.
102. 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.
105. Just minutes ago Yoon’s legal team entered the courthouse, stopping briefly to speak to reporters.
106. “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.
107. “We fully made this case during the trial. We understand that the judges fully understand this. We anticipate their wise judgement.”
108. As we’ve reported earlier, Yoon is not expected to attend the ruling in person due to security concerns.
111. David Oh
112. BBC Korean Service
113. 
114. Lee Mi-young, 59, said she took a half-day off from work to come to this street.
115. “I’ve been on streets over the past four months, how can I miss this historical day?” she said.
116. 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.”

Page 2

2. Yuna Ku
3. BBC Korean Service
4. 
5. 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.
6. “The court will dismiss the impeachment case. There’s no other option. I won’t accept it.”
7. “I’m against the impeachment because I’m worried that Lee Jae-myung [the opposition party leader] might step in.”
8. “I think there are too many leftists in the country.”
9. 
10. Also at the rally is Kim Dong-hyeon, a 30-year-old IT developer.
11. “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.”
12. “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.”
13. “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.”
16. 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.
17. Police have warned that there could be violence in the South Korean capital, Seoul, where protests for and against Yoon are being held.
18. Instead, he will be watching the verdict from his residence, local media reports.
21. Simon Atkinson
22. Reporting from Seoul
23. Image source, Simon Atkinson/BBC
24. The area around the constitutional court is a fortress.
25. 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.
26. 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.
27. Image source, Simon Atkinson/BBC
30. Katy Watson
31. Reporting from Seoul
32. Image source, Katy Watson/BBC
33. 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.
34. “I’m here because I want to be with everyone for this historical announcement,” she said.
35. 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.
36. Image source, Katy Watson/BBC
37. Meanwhile, performance artist Aejeong Ha is singing at the pro-impeachment gathering, waving a flag.
38. “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.
39. “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.
40. “I can no longer stand by to watch the president abuse his powers.”
43. Today’s ruling, while broadcast live across the country, has also been opened to the public.
44. 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.
45. 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.
48. We are in the final hour before hearing the verdict. The BBC’s Yuna Ku describes the scene in front of Yoon’s residence:
49. Media caption,
50. Watch: The BBC is in Seoul as South Korea braces for Yoon impeachment ruling
53. 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.
54. Image source, Getty Images
55. Image caption,
56. People protesting against Yoon have been gathering near the entrance of the Constitutional Court this morning
57. Image source, Getty Images
58. Image caption,
59. An anti-Yoon protester sleeping before his day begins
60. Image source, Getty Images
61. Image caption,
62. Some have been sleeping overnight out in the open
63. 
64. Image caption,
65. Some of Yoon’s supporters have been gathering outside his residence
68. Image source, Getty Images
69. On 3 December 2024, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, taking South Korea and the rest of the world by surprise.
70. 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.
71. 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.
72. Yoon was arrested in January, and released in March after his detention was overturned on technical grounds.
73. South Korea has been steeped in political turmoil for months now, and its people have become even more divided.
74. The hope is that today’s court ruling, which decides whether Yoon’s impeachment will be upheld, will bring some closure to the crisis.
77. Katy Watson
78. Reporting from Seoul
79. Image source, BBC/Katy Watson
80. Outside the Constitutional Court there are police buses lined up tightly, functioning as barriers to stop any protestors coming close.
81. 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.
82. One reads “President Yoon did not commit insurrection”. Another says “I firmly oppose the impeachment”.
83. 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.
86. Jean Mackenzie
87. Seoul correspondent
88. 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.
89. 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.
90. 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.
91. But the verdict has taken far longer than expected, leaving experts to wonder whether the judges might have been more conflicted than first assumed.
92. 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.
93. 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.
96. 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.
97. 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.
98. 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.
99. Then a trial commenced before the Constitutional Court – we’re waiting for its verdict today.
100. If Yoon is impeached, a poll must be held within 60 days to elect the country’s next leader.
101. 
104. David Oh
105. BBC Korean Service
106. Image source, Getty Images
107. 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.
108. Many of them are pro-Yoon supporters. Some are taking selfies in front of Yoon’s posters and some are chanting: “Impeachment invalid”.
109. More people are expected to join as the decision approaches.
112. 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.
113. Yoon caused political chaos in December when he declared martial law, which was later overturned and led to parliament voting to impeach him.
114. Now, it’s up to the Constitutional Court to decide whether to dismiss or reinstate the suspended president.
115. Pro-Yoon protesters have already gathered outside the court, calling for him to be reinstated, while his opponents are calling for his immediate dismissal.
116. 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.
117. Stay with us as we bring you the latest.