“Would Have Been Impeached if Still in Detention”
Hong Joon-pyo, the mayor of Daegu, stated on the 19th that the prospect of President Yoon Seok-yeol’s impeachment by the Constitutional Court seems unlikely. He explained during a talk at Seoul National University that if the president had remained in detention, impeachment might have been inevitable, but his release changes the situation.
Mayor Hong pointed out that for impeachment to occur, two of the four right-leaning judges would need to shift their stance, which he believes is unlikely. He attributed the difficulty of impeachment to President Yoon’s release, predicting that the Constitutional Court will likely dismiss the case.
Hong further analyzed the nation’s division on the impeachment issue, stating that the country is sharply split between those for and against impeachment. He expressed concern that neither the country will become peaceful if impeachment proceeds nor if it is dismissed, underscoring the need for political coexistence and national unity beyond ideological debates.