Korean bishops urge unity after ousting of President Yoon

Anti-Yoon protesters wave flags during a rally outside Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul on Apr 5, 2025, (AFP or licensors)

By Lisa Zengarini

After four months of legal proceedings and political turmoil, South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was definitively removed from office on Apr 4 by the Constitutional Court. He is the second South Korean president to be ousted through impeachment after Park Geun-hye in 2017.

The impeachment process was initiated after his short-lived martial law declaration of 3 December, 2024 which saw armed soldiers deployed to Parliament in an effort to maintain his authority.

The move, which Yoon justified the decision as a necessary measure to eradicate pro-North Korean forces and uphold the constitutional order, sparked a strong backlash from the opposition which managed to swiftly reverse it and suspended him.

Yoon was later arrested on insurrection charges and released from detention on Mar 7 after a court in Seoul overturned his arrest on technical grounds.

New elections to be held within 60 days

The final verdict was issued unanimously by all eight judges of the bench of the Constitutional Court. The ruling emphasized that his actions violated fundamental democratic principles, especially the political neutrality of the armed forces.

With Yoon’s definitive ousting, South Korea is now set to hold fresh presidential elections within 60 days amid an ever-deepening polarization within South Korean society where some view Yoon as a necessary force against “anti-state” elements, while others see him as a threat to democratic stability.

Political polarization in South Korean society

This division was reflected in the reaction to the verdict: while opposition lawmakers and anti-Yoon protesters celebrated the ruling, his supporters have reacted with outrage.

As the country now prepares for this new crucial phase, the Korean Bishops have again emphasized the need for national unity and reconciliation. In a statement released on Friday, the President of the Bishops’ Conference (KBCK), Bishop Matthias Ri long-hoon of Suwon, stressed that the election of a responsible and moral leader was paramount to restoring social harmony and urged politicians to prioritize the people’s welfare over partisan conflicts.

“We must choose a leader who deeply understands that presidential power is power delegated by the people, power in service to the people, and who has the attitude and will to sacrifice at all times to protect the lives and property of the citizens.”

Bishops praying for peaceful elections

The bishops called on all the powers of the State to “commit every effort to regain the trust of the people and achieve harmony” and on politicians “not to forget that they exist to serve the people, and to promote a politics of mutual respect and listening, oriented toward coexistence.”

“The process of electing a responsible and moral leader, in view of social reconciliation and the common good,” Bishop Ri long-hoon wrote, “must take place in a democratic and mature manner”.

For their part, the bishops expressed their willingness to accompany the country in this delicate phase: “The Catholic Church in Korea,” writes Bishop Iong-hoon Ri, “will pray wholeheartedly so that the people’s next choice becomes a cornerstone for the realization of justice and true peace in our country.”

“Democracy is based on respect of rules”

As reported by Fides agency, the statement is the latest of a series of appeals launched by religious leaders in South Korea as tensions mounted ahead of the verdict.

On Mar 5 the Association of Major Religious Denominations in South Korea, including the Catholic Church, issued a “Statement to the People” urging citizens to respect and accept the Constitutional Court’s decision so that the crisis could be resolved smoothly, “Democracy is based on respect of rules,” tye religious leaders wrote.

On Mar 21, Korean Cardinal Lazaro You Heung-sik, Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for the Clergy addressed a message to the Catholic faithful in Korea calling on them listen “to the voice of justice and conscience.”

Shortly before the verdict, on Apr 1, the Korean Bishops’ Conference said the Church in Korea will pray in the hope that all citizens will respect and accept the ruling. “In this way, our country will take another step toward becoming a more mature democratic nation,” they stated. – Vatican News