(4 Apr 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
++AUDIO AS INCOMING++
++STARTS AND ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Seoul, South Korea – 4 April 2025
1. SOUNDBITE (English), Foster Klug, The Associated Press:
“South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol was removed from office Friday by the Constitutional Court. The decision sets up a presidential election within two months, probably in early June. The frontrunner is Yoon’s archrival, Liberal Opposition Leader Lee Jae-myung.”
2. South Korean Constitutional Court justices entering
3. Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae talking
4. SOUNDBITE (English), Foster Klug, The Associated Press:
“Yoon was impeached for his actions on December 3rd when he imposed martial law, something that hadn’t been done in South Korea since the 1980s when the country was ruled by military strongmen.”
5. Various of the moment when members of anti-Yoon camp find out he has been dismissed
6. SOUNDBITE (English), Foster Klug, The Associated Press:
“Yoon sent hundreds of heavily armed troops backed by Black Hawk helicopters to the parliament. Lawmakers managed to get in and overrule the martial law decree. Two weeks later, they impeached him.”
7. Various of members of anti-Yoon camp celebrating
8. SOUNDBITE (English), SOUNDBITE (English), Foster Klug, The Associated Press:
“Yoon says the actions were necessary because the liberal opposition, which controls parliament, were blocking his efforts to stop North Korean and Chinese interference in South Korean democracy.”
9. Various of Yoon supporters listening to the verdict
10. SOUNDBITE (English), Foster Klug, The Associated Press:
“Opponents say he was trying to deflect attention from corruption investigations into his wife and him.”
11. Anti-Yoon poster
12. Anti-Yoon protesters listening to ruling being delivered
13. SOUNDBITE (English), Foster Klug, The Associated Press:
“South Korea is deeply divided between liberals and conservatives, and that split is likely to get worse as presidential election campaigning heats up.”
STORYLINE:
South Korea’s Constitutional Court removed impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol from office on Friday, ending his tumultuous presidency and setting up an election to find a new leader, four months after he threw South Korean politics into turmoil with an ill-fated declaration of martial law.
The unanimous verdict capped a dramatic fall for Yoon, a former star prosecutor who went from political novice to president in 2022, just a year after he entered politics.
In a nationally televised verdict, the court’s acting chief Moon Hyung-bae said the eight-member bench upheld Yoon’s impeachment because his martial law decree seriously violated the constitution and other laws.
“The defendant not only declared martial law, but also violated the constitution and laws by mobilizing military and police forces to obstruct the exercise of legislative authority,” Moon said, “Ultimately, the declaration of martial law in this case violated the substantive requirements for emergency martial law.”
“Given the grave negative impact on constitutional order and the significant ripple effects of the defendant’s violations, we find that the benefits of upholding the constitution by removing the defendant from office far outweigh the national losses from the removal of a president,” the justice concluded.
Protesters erupt in jubilation and sorrow
At an anti-Yoon rally near the old royal palace that dominates downtown Seoul, people erupted into tears and danced when the verdict was announced. Two women wept as they hugged and an old man near them leapt to his feet and screamed with joy.
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/0c89e0601a8846c1ab13df9350c75f77
Author: AP Archive
Go to Source
News post in April 9, 2025, 9:04 am.
Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News Post In – News
