The Yin and the Yang: Anger and Joy Erupt After South Korean High Court Ousts President

Thousands of protesters took to the streets across South Korea over the weekend following a constitutional court decision to oust President Yoon Suk Yeol from office for his attempt to impose martial law last December, with some demonstrators celebrating the ruling while others denounced it as a blow to democracy, Al Jazeera reported.

On Friday, the country’s top court unanimously ruled that Yoon’s decree on Dec. 3 violated key constitutional principles, including civilian control over the military and the neutrality of the armed forces. The eight-judge panel said the conservative president “shocked the people” and “caused confusion in society, economy, politics, and diplomacy.”

It added that Yoon’s action “brought back the history of abusing state emergency decrees” in the country and ruled that dismissing him better protected the constitutional order than allowing him to remain in power.

Over the weekend, anti-Yoon crowds celebrated the ruling, with participants weeping, dancing, and marching through the streets of the capital, Seoul. However, the president’s supporters gathered outside his former official residence and near government buildings, chanting “Impeachment is invalid!” and “Nullify the snap election!”

A protest organizer shouted, “Anyone who accepts this ruling and prepares for an early presidential election is our enemy,” according to the Associated Press.

Yoon, who became president in 2022, had defended the decree as necessary to counter alleged threats from North Korea and what he called “anti-state forces” within the opposition.

His decree sent special operations troops to the opposition-controlled parliament, election offices, and other key sites. Soldiers clashed with lawmakers and protesters, drawing sharp criticism and evoking painful memories of the country’s past military regimes.

The legislature voted to impeach him on Dec. 14, and he was later indicted for rebellion in January – a charge that carries the death penalty.

Following Friday’s ruling, Yoon expressed “deep regret” at falling short of the public’s expectations, but stopped short of accepting the verdict.

Acting President Han Duck-soo vowed to maintain stability and oversee the transition to the next administration, with new elections expected to take place within 60 days.

Analysts said the court’s decision marks a historic turning point for South Korea’s democracy, but warned that the deep polarization exposed by Yoon’s removal could intensify in the lead-up to the upcoming vote.

The ruling comes as South Korea is also navigating a series of uncertainties, including US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and an increasingly aggressive China.