Sangcheol’s Legal Journal : YouLaw Insights

🗓️ Trial Overview Date: June 23, 2025, 10:15 AM Location: Criminal Division 25, Seoul Central District Court (Judge Ji Gu-yeon presiding) Defendant: Former President Yoon Suk-yeol Special Prosecutor Appearance: Cho Eun-seok’s team, represented in court by Deputy Counsel Park Eok-soo Witnesses: Maj. Gen. Lee Jae-sik (Joint Chiefs of Staff, Crisis Readiness Inspector, Chief of Martial Law Secretariat) Col. Kwon Young-hwan (Former Head of Martial Law Division, JCS) 🔍 Key Issues and Proceedings 1. Special Counsel Assumes Prosecutorial Role This hearing marked the debut of the newly formed Special Counsel team, formally taking over public prosecution duties from the original prosecutors. Deputy Counsel Park sat in the lead prosecutor’s seat and requested expedited proceedings, citing the impending expiration of detention for some defendants. 2. Defense Claims Unconstitutional Abuse of Power Yoon’s legal team (Attorneys Wi Hyun-seok, Bae Bo-yoon) argued...

Hello everyone! 👋 Today’s blog post covers an extraordinary moment in Korean constitutional history.  On April 4, 2025 , the Constitutional Court of Korea issued a landmark ruling: the dismissal of President Yoon Suk-yeol from office. Let’s explore what happened, why it happened, and what this means for democracy in Korea. 🧭 Background of the Case The impeachment process began after President Yoon declared martial law on December 3, 2024 , citing national paralysis due to opposition party actions and threats from North Korea. The declaration was made through a live national broadcast and included assigning a military general as the martial law commander. However, within hours, the National Assembly voted unanimously (190/190) to revoke the martial law. On December 4, President Yoon announced the termination of the martial law . Despite this retraction, political and legal responses escalated. A second impeachment motion was proposed and passed on December 14 with 204 ...

Introduction On March 24, 2025, the Constitutional Court of Korea made a historic decision to dismiss the impeachment petition against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo , who was serving as the acting President at the time. This unprecedented case went beyond politics, sparking profound discussions on constitutional interpretation, the structure of executive power, and the rule of law. This blog post provides a comprehensive breakdown of this extraordinary event in Korea’s constitutional history, analyzing the background, legal issues, and implications for the future. Background of the Case December 14, 2024 : President Yoon Suk-yeol was impeached by the National Assembly. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo assumed the role of acting President. December 26, 2024 : 170 lawmakers submitted an impeachment bill against Han. December 27, 2024 : The National Assembly passed the impeachment motion with 192 votes in favor , sending the case to the Constitutional Court. This was the first time...