Failure To Arrest Impeached South Korea President Portends Turmoil

The crisis is, at the same time, damaging the country's already fragile economy . The South Korean won has plunged to its lowest level against the US dollar in almost 16 years and the stock market has tumbled. South Korea now faces the challenge of navigating these precarious times while striving to restore stability and bolster the severely damaged public trust in its institutions.

The failure to arrest Yoon was not entirely unexpected. After the warrant was issued, Yoon expressed his defiance to the court ruling through a letter to his supporters. He urged them to resist and stated :“I will fight until the end to protect this country together with you.”

Yoon's legal team argued that the warrant was both illegal and invalid. And his political ally, Yoon Sang-hyun, described the efforts to arrest and investigate President Yoon as“dangerous acts to preempt the impeachment trial of the constitutional court.”

The court must deliver a final ruling on Yoon's impeachment within 180 days of the date the case was filed. And with the addition of justices Moon Hyung-bae and Lee Mi-sun on January 2, completing an eight-member bench, the court is expediting the impeachment trial process.

The legal community expects the court to issue its ruling before April 18, when two other justices, Jeong Gye-seon and Cho Han-chang, retire. But Yoon's legal team is demanding a“fair trial”, and has insisted that the full 180-day legal deadline be used for the proceedings. If this request is granted, the final verdict may not be reached until June.

Since the impeachment vote was passed in the National Assembly, Yoon has made every effort to obstruct the process. He refused to appear before the prosecution and failed to comply with the Corruption Investigation Office's summons for questioning. This is what ultimately led to an arrest warrant being issued.

Yoon's behavior has been interpreted by many observers as an attempt to delay the investigation and mobilize his supporters. This is driven by the belief that mounting a strong defense would become significantly more difficult if he were to be detained.

Since the night of December 3, when martial law was declared, hundreds of thousands of South Koreans have gathered across the country to demand Yoon's impeachment. The younger generation has taken a leading role in the movement, creating a protest culture infused with elements from K-pop fandom including glowing light sticks and rallies resembling a dancefloor .

Another notable and unique feature of the protests has been the distribution of free food and drinks to participants, generously paid for at nearby cafes and restaurants by fellow Koreans eager to support the cause.

Meanwhile, protests by Yoon's supporters have intensified. These demonstrations are being driven by largely older and more conservative people. Far-right YouTube personalities and evangelical Christian leaders have often taken prominent roles .

Pro-Yoon protesters have incorporated the American right's“stop the steal” slogan into their demonstrations, and frequently display US flags as part of their movement.

Echoing Yoon's rhetoric, they argue that the declaration of martial law was a legitimate act of governance and claim that the general election in April 2024 was rigged in favor of the opposition party. The ruling party secured just 108 seats out of the 300 in the National Assembly, while the opposition bloc claimed 192 to retain control of parliament.

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On the economic front, the South Korean won has fallen to its lowest value since 2009 , with the foreign exchange rate reacting sharply to the continued political turmoil. This volatility has also affected South Korea's major stock market index, highlighting growing investor uncertainty.

The depreciation of the won is expected to raise the cost of imports further, exacerbate inflationary pressure, weaken consumer confidence and, potentially, discourage foreign investment. This will only add further strain on the economy, which suffered a prolonged period of low growth throughout much of 2024.

As South Korea embarks on 2025, the road ahead remains uncertain and fraught with challenges. The nation must contend with the complex interplay of political instability and economic fragility, balancing the need for accountability with efforts to restore public trust and unity.

How South Korea addresses these pressing issues in the coming months will not only define the year ahead, but will also have a lasting effect on its political, social and economic trajectory.

Yoon Walker is a PhD candidate in the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, SOAS, University of London .

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .

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