{"id":2209034,"date":"2025-04-07T15:00:14","date_gmt":"2025-04-07T06:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2209034"},"modified":"2025-04-07T14:51:14","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T05:51:14","slug":"special-korea-pro-online-briefing-on-yoons-removal-from-presidency-ep-70","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2025\/04\/special-korea-pro-online-briefing-on-yoons-removal-from-presidency-ep-70\/","title":{"rendered":"SPECIAL: Korea Pro online briefing on Yoon\u2019s removal from presidency \u2014 Ep.70"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this special episode, Jeongmin hosts professors Erik Mobrand and Cho Hee-kyung for a quick-fire <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> briefing analyzing the historic Constitutional Court ruling on Friday that removed President Yoon Suk-yeol from office \u2014 making him the second South Korean president impeached and removed by the court.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeongmin kicks off with a comprehensive 10-minute summary of the Constitutional Court\u2019s ruling, detailing how the justices unanimously voted to uphold Yoon\u2019s impeachment and explaining the language they used in their decisive verdict.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeongmin summarizes the court\u2019s extensive deliberation process, and outlines how the justices structured their evaluation around five specific grounds for impeachment. She explains how the court comprehensively rejected almost all of Yoon\u2019s defenses, including his claim that the martial law was merely a \u201cwarning\u201d or a \u201cplea\u201d with no legal basis in the constitution.<\/span><\/p>\n

Professor Cho explains the reasons behind the court\u2019s unanimous ruling and the political context behind the decision\u2019s delay. She discusses how the timing may have been influenced by the appellate court\u2019s March decision to acquit main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung of his election law violation conviction, along with how the justices evaluated contested witness testimony and hearsay evidence differently than in a criminal proceeding.<\/span><\/p>\n

Professor Mobrand examines the political implications of Yoon\u2019s removal, arguing that the democratic resilience shown by ordinary citizens created a powerful check on executive overreach. He challenges the framing of South Korea\u2019s society as simply \u201cpolarized,\u201d suggesting that specific politicians have deliberately exacerbated divisions rather than this reflecting deep societal rifts.<\/span><\/p>\n

The panel explores why the military largely refused to fully implement Yoon\u2019s martial law orders, institutional weaknesses exposed by this constitutional crisis, and what reforms are most urgently needed \u2014 including reducing concentrated power in the presidential office and prosecutorial authority.<\/span><\/p>\n