section_path: Constitutional Court trial/Verdict
section_name: Verdict
paragraph_text: Verdict
  
  On 4 April, the Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment in a unanimous 8 – 0 decision, which formally removed Yoon from office, effective at 11:22 KST. In the decision read out by acting Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Moon Hyung-bae, the court declared that Yoon did not follow procedures for declaring martial law. He further stated that Yoon "went against those he was supposed to protect" and "damaged people's political rights." The court also acknowledged "the resistance of citizens" in helping prevent the full implementation of martial law, and said that Yoon's conflict with the National Assembly was "a political issue that must be resolved within the bounds of democracy", adding that the legislature's use of its powers "did not, in itself, create a severe crisis situation at the time justifying the declaration of martial law" while saying that the chamber should have respected minority opinions and made efforts towards compromise. It also ruled that verbal statements made by key suspects to prosecutors regarding plans of arrests by Yoon were admissible.
  
  The verdict came 111 days after his impeachment by the National Assembly, the longest of any South Korean presidential impeachment verdict. Yoon's removal from office makes him the shortest-serving president under the democratic history of South Korea.
  
  The court issued a 114-page decision citing serious violations of the constitution and a breach of public trust. The ruling outlined five major constitutional violations committed during the imposition of martial law on 3–4 December:
  
  Additional violations cited included unauthorized searches and seizures at the National Election Commission (NEC), and orders to inspect NEC computer systems, confiscate staff devices, and conduct surveillance without a warrant. These actions, the court stated, infringed upon the NEC's independence.
  
  As a result of the ruling, Yoon lost presidential immunity and became subject to criminal prosecution. His trial on charges of insurrection began on 14 April. If found guilty, Yoon faces the death penalty or life imprisonment, although there has been a moratorium on executions in South Korea since 1997.