Ryu Hyuk: "Even if only one or two grounds for impeachment are recognized,
there will be no problem in deciding dismissal... It will be 8:0 for dismissal"
"Costs, confusion, and national interests to be considered if Yoon returns to office,
not swayed by public opinion"
On the 2nd, two days before the verdict on President Yoon Seok-yeol's impeachment case, pro- and anti-impeachment groups held picket protests near the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul. 2025.4.2. Photo by Kang Jin-hyeong
Ryu Hyuk, a lawyer who served as the Inspector General of the Ministry of Justice under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, predicted that the Constitutional Court justices would unanimously rule 8-0 in favor of accepting the impeachment motion against President Yoon Seok-yeol.
On the 2nd, former Inspector General Ryu appeared on CBS Radio's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show" and said, "It will be accepted 8-0," adding, "Even if only one or two reasons for the constitutional violation impeachment motion against President Yoon are recognized, there will be no problem in deciding dismissal. There may be justices who present supplementary opinions, but ultimately it will be accepted unanimously."
Former Inspector General Ryu said, "The possibility of an 8-0 acceptance is very high," and added, "A 7-1 decision is possible, but honestly, can the one dissenting justice who issues a dismissal opinion later bear that?" He said, "Right now, due to vested interests or various political positions and differing thoughts related to President Yoon's dismissal, that might happen," but also said, "Later, when everything is set aside and viewed objectively, I believe no one can justify President Yoon's actions." He further stated, "If a dismissal opinion is issued, it will probably be embarrassing. The justice who grants a pardon to a president who committed acts infringing on the people's fundamental rights by declaring martial law will be recorded in history, and I question whether they can bear that weight."
President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was released from Seoul Detention Center, arrived in front of his residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul on the 8th, getting out of the vehicle and greeting his supporters. Photo by Yonhap News
As the basis for judging that a unanimous acceptance decision would be made, he stated, "First, due to the decision-making structure of the Constitutional Court, it is difficult for an individual justice to make an outlier decision." He explained, "All justices exercise an equal vote and can freely exchange opinions, so generally, a reasonable conclusion is likely to be reached."
He continued, "Second, Constitutional Court justices judge according to law and conscience, and with at least 25 years of legal experience, it is unlikely they will be swayed by public opinion beyond law and conscience." He added, "The Constitutional Court must consider not only the seriousness of the violation but also the consequences if the respondent returns to public office. President Yoon has already lost leadership due to evasion of responsibility, lies, and undesirable attitudes, aside from the constitutional violation caused by declaring martial law."
In response to the host's question, "Does the Constitutional Court consider public opinion, or does it look solely at legal principles?" he drew a clear line, saying, "The Constitutional Court does not consider which side has the majority or public opinion support when considering the costs, confusion, and national interests our society would have to bear if the respondent (President Yoon) were reinstated to public office. It does not judge based on commonly referred-to approval ratings."
Former Inspector General Ryu said, "If he is reinstated to public office, it is questionable whether he can demonstrate leadership amid a national crisis. Moreover, as seen in the martial law declaration case, his method involves forcing thoughts through violence and force," and predicted, "This point will be a subject of debate and will be indirectly mentioned in the judgment." He reiterated, "Even if only one or two reasons for the constitutional violation impeachment motion against President Yoon are recognized, there will be no problem in deciding dismissal," and emphasized again, "It will be accepted unanimously."
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