The Catholic Church of Korea has responded to the Constitutional Court’s decision to uphold the impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol, calling for national reflection and unity.
In a statement released immediately after the court’s ruling, Bishop Lee Yong-hoon, chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, expressed his concern and hope for the future.
“For the second time in our history, the impeachment of a president we elected with our own hands has been upheld once again,” Bishop Lee said.
He further described the situation as reaching “a heartbreaking point where we must write an unfortunate chapter of history.”
With the conclusion of the impeachment trial, Bishop Lee urged the nation to focus on the upcoming political process.
“The legal period of President Yoon Seok-yeol’s impeachment trial has come to an end, and now, in the political period that immediately follows, we must gather our wisdom to properly elect a new president,” he said.
Highlighting the purpose of political power, Bishop Lee reminded the public that “the power of the president is a power entrusted to him by the people and a power that must serve the people.”
He emphasized the need to select a leader “who recognizes that the mindset and attitude of sacrificing oneself to protect the lives and property of the people is the foundation of politics.”
He further appealed for political harmony, urging politicians to “not forget that they exist to serve the people, respect each other, and move toward politics of coexistence where they listen to each other’s opinions.”
Concluding his message, Bishop Lee said, “The Catholic Church of Korea will pray and stand with the people so that the people’s choice in the future can become a stepping stone for justice to be realized and true peace to be achieved in our country.”
Meanwhile, the court’s decision sparked both celebrations and protests in Seoul. On Saturday, thousands of Yoon’s supporters took to the streets despite heavy rain, chanting slogans such as “impeachment is invalid!” and demanding the annulment of the upcoming snap election.
“The Constitutional Court’s decision destroyed our country’s free democracy,” said protester Yang Joo-young, 26, in a report by Agence France-Presse. “Speaking as someone in my 20s or 30s, I’m deeply worried about the future.”
Yoon had justified his controversial martial law declaration, claiming it was necessary to combat “anti-state forces” and threats from North Korea.
His actions, however, were deemed by the court to have posed a “grave threat” to national stability, deepening societal divisions marked by political polarization and misinformation.
Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, widely seen as the frontrunner for the next presidential election scheduled for June, has advocated a more conciliatory stance toward North Korea.
This has heightened concerns among Yoon’s supporters about South Korea’s political future.
