Edward Howell

President Yoon’s trial is tearing South Korea apart

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol gather in Seoul (Credit: Getty images)

It is now only a matter of days before the 52 million-strong population in South Korea will know the fate of their suspended president, Yoon Suk Yeol. Since his first impeachment hearing at the end of 2024, after which he was arrested and indicted on charges of insurrection, the President has continued to defend his initial decision to impose martial law on the evening of 3 December. But with less than a week to go before the country’s constitutional court rules on his destiny, a central court in Seoul today ordered Yoon’s release from jail, a month after his initial detention. While this is a small victory for Yoon and his team, time will tell whether the cost was worth it.

If Yoon is ousted, a snap general election must be called within sixty days

The past few weeks and months have seen Seoul become a hotbed of protests in support of and against the South Korean President, who faces two charges.

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