It has been 107 days since the National Assembly voted in favor of impeaching President Yoon Suk-yeol and notified the Constitutional Court of the decision on December 14 last year. But the court still has not announced when it will issue its ruling. Former President Roh Moo-hyun’s impeachment trial took 63 days from filing to verdict, and former President Park Geun-hye’s took 91. Yoon’s case is taking much longer.
The verdict on the impeachment trial of Yoon, who holds the nation’s highest office, is a grave matter that should not be rushed. The public has been patient, trusting that the court would ensure a thorough and deliberate review to reach a decision that aligns with legal principles.
However, more than a month has passed since the final hearing on February 25, and still, no verdict has been issued. Rumors have surfaced while the court’s deliberation stretches on, and tensions between those who support and oppose Yoon’s impeachment have intensified. The time has come for the Constitutional Court to deliver a verdict—whether to uphold, dismiss, or reject the impeachment motion.
Speculation about what is happening behind closed doors at the court has reached a fever pitch. Unconfirmed reports claim the eight judges are split on whether to uphold or reject the impeachment. Each rumor has become more detailed as it spreads by word of mouth, with some claiming that judges engaged in heated arguments and shouting matches in the hallways. These rumors are unfounded, but politicians are now joining in to add fuel to the fire.
Just last week, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker expressed concern that “an invisible hand” may be at play in delaying the ruling, accusing the court of breaking its principles. The lawmaker claimed that the “insurrection forces [behind the martial law incident]” may have intervened. On the other side, a lawmaker from the ruling People Power Party asserted that “several judges and members of the Democratic Party had planned to dismiss the impeachment motion against acting President Han Duck-soo and uphold the one against President Yoon, but the plan failed,” causing the delay. If such conspiracy theories continue to circulate, it could lead to a situation where many people refuse to accept the ruling once it is finally delivered.
To end this chaos, the Constitutional Court must deliver its ruling and bring closure to the four months of turmoil that has gripped the nation since President Yoon declared martial law. Whatever the verdict, those who had hoped for the opposite result will likely be disappointed or angry. But the country can no longer afford to drift in this state of political uncertainty. The prolonged instability is already deepening societal divisions and casting a shadow over the economy.
