South Korea has recently been on the international agenda due to the political turmoil within the country. On December 3, 2024, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in the country on the grounds that “the opposition was involved in anti-state activities”, but martial law was not declared after the request to lift the decision by the parliament was approved by the Council of Ministers. Subsequently, the National Assembly voted on December 14, 2024 to remove Yoon from office and Yoon was temporarily suspended from office until the Constitutional Court’s decision.[1]
On December 31, 2024, the Western District Court of South Korea issued an arrest warrant for Yoon as a result of an investigation into “sedition and abuse of office”, but the attempt failed due to a brawl between security guards and Yoon’s bodyguards.[2] Similarly, on January 3, 2025, officials from the Corruption Investigation Office failed to make the arrest after a six-hour brawl.[3] On January 15, 2025, Yoon surrendered, stating, “Although this is an illegal investigation, I have decided to appear before the Corruption Investigation Office to prevent a bloodshed.”[4] Yoon was the first incumbent president of South Korea to be arrested, marking a turning point in South Korean politics.
This manifestation can be seen as the culmination of the ongoing tension between Yoon and the opposition. In 2022, tensions between Yoon Suk Yeol, who took office as President of South Korea, and the main opposition Democratic Party, which won the general elections in 2024, have manifested themselves many times in South Korean politics. Yoon called the opposition “North Korean sympathizers”[5] and Yoon’s veto of opposition bills[6] are important indicators of the disagreement between the two sides.
In addition to Yoon, the opposition wing is generally critical of Yoon’s handling of domestic politics, foreign policy and the economy. These include high inflation, declining birth rates and lack of affordable housing. In addition, the Democratic Party opposes Yoon’s approach to foreign policy, which is seen as impractical and potentially provocative.[7]Finally, Yoon’s wife’s acceptance of an expensive handbag as a gift and the subsequent allegations of stock price manipulation against his wife and mother have further strained ties between Yoon and the opposition.[8] These frictions between the head of state and the government have opened the door to an environment of increased political strife.
It is important to remember that before he became president, Yoon, during his tenure as attorney-general, constantly confronted the opposition by bringing important cases to investigate government corruption.[9] The friction between Yoon and the opposition is not a new case but a long-standing process. Accusations of sedition, corruption and abuse of office are behind Yoon’s arrest. However, given South Korea’s political environment, the arrest is more than just a legal matter.
Undoubtedly, Yoon’s arrest will have implications for political balances, social dynamics and international relations. The arrest of the head of state has created a vacuum in South Korean politics. There is a situation that has not been experienced before in the South Korean administration. Accordingly, the Constitutional Court’s decision on whether Yoon will be removed from office is expected first. It is among the rumors that the judges will decide until February. If Yoon’s impeachment is accepted by the Constitutional Court, South Korea must hold an election for a new head of state within 60 days.[10] In this context, the court’s decision and the name that will emerge from the election will give clues about the future of South Korean politics.
This incident could trigger a sharp division in society between those who support Yoon and those who oppose him. Already, polarization in society has increased in the run-up to the 2024 elections. Yoon’s arrest and the subsequent formation of wide cracks in the parliament between supporters and opponents of Yoon could deepen the social divide and lead to a shake-up of the social order. On the other hand, the arrest of the head of state and the impeachment of the acting president have called South Korean democracy into question.[11]
If Yoon is removed from office, South Korea’s foreign policy may undergo possible changes. In opinion polls, Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung seems to be the new president by a large margin.[12] It is curious to see how South Korea’s relations with the United States, Japan, China and North Korea will evolve if a member of the Democratic Party takes office. Under Yoon, South Korea maintained close relations with the US and Japan, while keeping its distance from China and North Korea. However, the Democratic Party is not satisfied with the closeness of relations, especially with Japan, a country with historical enmity and territorial disputes. Moreover, the Democratic Party opposes South Korea’s rapprochement with Taiwan in the context of the Sino-Taiwan Conflict and considers it flawed to be too close to the US and Japan at the expense of South Korea-China ties.[13]
As a result, Yoon’s arrest will not only affect the future of a leader, but will also be decisive in terms of changing the political, social and economic order of South Korea. Following these developments in South Korea, there may be significant changes in the country’s domestic politics and international relations.
[1] Emre Aytekin and Ecem Şahinli Ögüç. “Yoon, who was suspended from the presidency in South Korea, Detained”, Anadolu Agency, https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/dunya/guney-korede-devlet-baskanligi-gorevinden-uzaklastirilan-yoon-gozaltina-alindi/3450499, (Date of Access: 15.01.2025).
[2] Ayşe İrem Tiryaki, “Güney Kore’de Devlet Başkanlığı Görevinden Uzaklaştırılan Yoon İçin İkinci Kez Tutuklama Girişimi”, Anadolu Ajansı, https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/dunya/guney-korede-devlet-baskanligi-gorevinden-uzaklastirilan-yoon-icin-ikinci-kez-tutuklama-girisimi/3450444, (Date of Access: 15.01.2025).
[3] Kelly Ng and Yuna Ku. “Attempt To Arrest S Korea President Suspended After Dramatic Standoff”. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4pz3129pzo. (Date of Access: 15.01.2025).
[4] Aytekin ve Ögüç, opcit., (Date of Access: 15.01.2025).
[5] Malek Fouda, “South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol arrested by anti-corruption agency after weeks-long standoff”, EuroNews, https://www.euronews.com/2025/01/15/south-koreas-president-yoon-suk-yeol-arrested-by-anti-corruption-agency-after-weeks-long-s, (Date of Access: 15.01.2025).
[6] Kelly Ng, Yvette Tan and Jake Kwon, “How One Man Threw South Korea into a Political Crisis”. BBC News.https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0lgw1pw5zpo, (Date of Access: 15.01.2025).
[7] Gabrielle Godard. “South Korea After the National Assembly Election: How Yoon’s Defeat Could Change Domestic and Foreign Politics”, EIAS. https://eias.org/policy-briefs/how-yoons-defeat-could-change-domestic-and-foreign-politics-in-south-korea/, (Date of Access: 15.01.2025).
[8] Jack Kim, “Who is Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea’s First Sitting President To Be Arrested?”. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-koreas-yoon-embittered-survivor-becomes-first-sitting-president-arrested-2025-01-15/, (Date of Access: 15.01.2025).
[9] Hyung-A Kim, “Yoon Suk-yeol’s Rise from Rebel Prosecutor to President”. East Asia Forum. https://eastasiaforum.org/2022/04/23/yoon-seok-yeols-rise-from-rebel-prosecutor-to-president/, (Date of Access: 15.01.2025).
[10] Ng, Tan and Kwon, opcit., (Date of Access: 15.01.2025).
[11] Ng and Ku, opcit., (Date of Access: 15.01.2025).
[12] Ng, Tan and Kwon, opcit., (Date of Access: 15.01.2025).
[13] Godard, opcit., (Date of Access: 15.01.2025).
