South Korea's Constitutional Court unanimously voted to remove President Yoon Suk Yeol from office on Friday. The verdict upholds the parliament's impeachment vote that followed Yoon's attempt to impose martial law last December. This marks the second time a South Korean president has been removed through impeachment in less than a decade.

Yoon, a former prosecutor who served less than three years of his five-year term, will be replaced by acting president Han Duck-soo until a new election. The presidential election must take place within 60 days. Han, a long-serving technocrat appointed by Yoon, has promised to maintain stability during the transition.

Acting chief justice Moon Hyung-bae delivered the court's verdict, stating that Yoon had "violated the basic principles of a democratic state." The court found that Yoon had ordered troops to storm the National Assembly to prevent lawmakers from voting against his martial law decree.

The court revealed several serious abuses of power during Yoon's martial law attempt:

• Military personnel were ordered to "break down the door and drag lawmakers out" of parliament
• Counter-intelligence services monitored locations of political leaders, including from Yoon's own party
• Military officials illegally accessed electoral commission computer systems
• Locations of judiciary members, including a former Supreme Court chief justice, were monitored

"[Yoon] mobilized military and police forces to dismantle the authority of constitutional institutions and infringed upon the fundamental rights of the people," Moon stated. "In doing so, he abandoned his duty to uphold the constitution and gravely betrayed the trust of the Korean people."

Hours after the verdict, Yoon released a statement expressing gratitude to his supporters and apologizing for not meeting expectations. "I am so sorry and regretful that I could not live up to your expectations," he wrote. Yoon still faces separate criminal charges of insurrection, which he denies.

The ruling comes as South Korea faces economic challenges and political division. Seoul is concerned about potential impacts from US President Donald Trump's trade policies and questions about US commitment to deterring North Korean aggression. Acting President Han has promised to prevent disruptions in trade and defense while maintaining public order.

The removal of President Yoon comes amid broader regional diplomatic efforts. Earlier in March, foreign ministers from South Korea, Japan, and China met in Tokyo to discuss shared challenges like aging populations, North Korea's nuclear program, and economic cooperation. The trilateral gathering, aiming to build trust despite tensions, included plans for a leaders' summit later this year amid growing uncertainty from Trump's policies.