[Yoon Seok-yeol Dismissal] 'Private Citizen' Yoon to Receive National Pension Instead of Presidential Pension... Security and Privileges Revoked

Expected to Leave the Presidential Residence Soon and Return Home
Investigations Likely to Accelerate as He Becomes a "Private Citizen"
Yoon Faces Uncertainty Over Possible Re-detention and "Private Residence Politics"

As the Constitutional Court has decided to dismiss President Yoon Seok-yeol, attention is also focused on his future residence. Since he has become a former president, it is expected that he will leave the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and return to his private residence in Seocho-dong. However, there remains a possibility that a third location will be prepared due to security concerns and other reasons.

President Yoon Suk-yeol was dismissed on the 4th following the Constitutional Court's decision to accept the impeachment motion. The photo shows former President Yoon leaving after announcing the new Chief of Civil Affairs at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul, in May last year. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the "Act on the Treatment of Former Presidents," if a president is impeached and leaves office during their term, they lose the privileges of a former president except for security and protection. This means they will not receive support for transportation, communication, office facilities, or medical treatment for themselves and their family, nor will they receive the presidential pension, which amounts to 95% of the presidential salary. Instead of the presidential pension, they can receive the national pension.

There are no specific regulations regarding the departure from the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, where former President Yoon currently resides. In the only precedent, former President Park Geun-hye left the Blue House two days after the Constitutional Court's dismissal ruling and returned to her private residence in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

There is also a prospect that it will be difficult for former President Yoon to immediately move to his private residence in Seocho-dong due to security issues. A security building needs to be established around the private residence, and a detailed security plan must be redrawn. Since Acrovista, where former President Yoon lived, is a private apartment complex, installing security facilities may be challenging. It is also possible that former President Yoon and his spouse will stay at the Hannam-dong residence for a while or choose a third location.

Whether former President Yoon will be detained is another variable related to his residence. Although he was previously indicted and detained on charges of leading a rebellion and then released, re-detention on the same charges is difficult, but not impossible. There is a possibility of detention during investigations of other charges. In particular, since former President Yoon lost his criminal immunity due to dismissal, investigations into allegations such as interference in candidate nominations involving Myung Tae-gyun are expected to gain momentum.

There is also interest in whether former President Yoon will engage in so-called "private residence politics" during the early presidential election period.

Since he confirmed his influence over the far-right supporters during the impeachment trial phase, it is expected that he will play an important role in the ruling party's presidential election preparations. From former President Yoon's perspective, his fate may depend on who becomes the next president with pardon authority. However, if a dismissed president attempts to exert influence in real politics, the negative impact on public opinion is a variable factor.