South Korea’s impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol became the nation’s first leader to face criminal indictment on January 27, 2025, charged with rebellion and abuse of power over his brief imposition of martial law on December 3, 2024.
The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) accused Yoon of orchestrating a “riot” to undermine the constitution, mobilizing troops to block lawmakers from voting, per AP News. The charges, carrying potential life imprisonment or the death penalty, mark a historic low for South Korea’s democracy, plunging the country into political turmoil.
Yoon’s six-hour martial law decree, the first since 1980, aimed to counter an opposition-controlled National Assembly, which he claimed threatened national security, per BBC. Troops were sent to parliament, but lawmakers voted unanimously to lift the decree, forcing Yoon’s cabinet to comply, per The Guardian. The CIO alleges Yoon collaborated with his defense minister and police chief, both indicted, to obstruct parliamentary rights, per AP News. Yoon, detained since January 15, has refused questioning, calling the investigation “illegal,” per The New York Times.
The Constitutional Court began hearings on January 23, with a ruling expected within months to either remove or reinstate Yoon, per AP News. Past impeachments of Presidents Roh Moo-hyun (2004) and Park Geun-hye (2016) took 63 and 91 days, respectively, per AP News. If removed, a presidential by-election must occur within two months, with polls showing a tight race between conservative and opposition candidates, per The Times of India. Yoon’s People Power Party warned of “legal consequences” for prosecutors, alleging political bias, per AP News.
The crisis has shaken South Korea’s financial markets, with the KOSPI dropping 5% in January, and damaged its global image, per BBC. The martial law episode evoked memories of military rule in the 1960s-80s, fueling public outrage, with 60% of citizens supporting Yoon’s impeachment, per a 2025 Gallup Korea poll. Acting President Han Duck-soo has struggled to stabilize governance, facing trade pressures from U.S. tariffs, per The New York Times. The trial, expected to last six months, will test South Korea’s judicial independence amid deep societal divisions.