[Yoon Suk-yeol Dismissal] "It Was Granted"... Gwangju Citizens Shed Tears, Cheer, and Applaud

"This is democracy... We did it"
Cheers, Embraces, and Quiet Applause

On the morning of the 4th, when the Constitutional Court announced the impeachment of former President Yoon Seokyeol, a banner celebrating the impeachment was hung at Jeonil Building on Geumnam-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Yonhap News

"It has been accepted...," someone said.

At 11:22 a.m. on the 4th, immediately after the Constitutional Court unanimously approved the impeachment of President Yoon Sukyeol, silence, applause, and tears overlapped throughout Gwangju. Citizens watched the screens from their respective places, exchanged glances, and nodded briefly to each other.

In the second-floor lobby of Gwangju Songjeong Station, cheers erupted from the citizens, and the words "It was accepted unanimously" were heard first. Kim, a man in his 40s, said, "This is something I can't put into words," adding, "It feels like everything that has been building up has finally exploded." Jeong, a middle-aged woman, said, "My train was about to leave, but I just didn't want to miss this moment, so I stayed." One citizen quietly said to the screen, "This is true democracy," and added, "I can finally put an end to my insomnia caused by unrest."

The Gwangju Comprehensive Bus Terminal was also filled with tension. Around 11 a.m., as the verdict was about to be announced, citizens waiting to board their buses watched the live news broadcast on TV and their mobile phones in complete silence. As if not to miss a single word, people moved closer to the monitors, and soon about 50 people stood quietly, reading along with the subtitles. Among the citizens, conversations such as "The impeachment will definitely pass," and "What if it doesn't? The country is just too noisy," could be heard.

When the subtitle "Yoon Sukyeol dismissed" appeared on the screen, gasps erupted in several places, followed by applause. Three women in their 20s hugged each other, and shouts of "This is the obvious result," and "Democracy has won," rang out. Kim, a 24-year-old who had come to the terminal for travel, said, "I thought the impeachment was inevitable, but I was still nervous until the last moment," and added, "From now on, I will make sure to participate in voting." A man in his 50s, identified as Mr. A, said, "The Constitutional Court's decision was delayed for so long that it was exhausting, but I'm relieved that we finally have a result today," and added, "Now it is time for the people to persuade each other and unite."

At the May 18 Democracy Plaza in Dong-gu, Gwangju, emotional reactions continued. Citizens gathered in front of the large screen hugged each other as soon as the subtitles appeared, and amid those wiping away tears, shouts of "We did it" broke out.

On the morning of the 4th, when the Constitutional Court announced the acceptance of former President Yoon Seokyeol's impeachment, citizens watching the live broadcast of the impeachment trial verdict at the 5·18 Democracy Square in Dong-gu, Gwangju, were celebrating. Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, at 11:22 a.m. on this day, the Constitutional Court, with a unanimous decision by all eight justices, ruled to dismiss President Yoon Sukyeol. As a result, President Yoon immediately stepped down from office and lost all presidential powers.

In its decision, the Constitutional Court stated, "President Yoon Sukyeol declared martial law on December 3, disregarding the constitutional system and infringing on the basic rights of the people." The court added that the lifting of martial law did not affect the gravity of the grounds for impeachment. It also clarified, "The impeachment proceedings were conducted lawfully in accordance with constitutional procedures."

There were no dissenting opinions among the justices in this decision, though some justices did provide separate supplementary opinions on specific issues.