[Impeachment of Yoon Seok-yeol] Presidential Office lowers Bonghwanggi flag, 'embarrassed' by unanimous impeachment decision

Silent Without an Official Statement

On the 4th, when the Constitutional Court sentenced former President Yoon Seok-yeol to dismissal, officials at the Presidential Office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, were lowering the Bonghwanggi flag. Photo by Yonhap News

The Constitutional Court's decision on the 4th to dismiss former President Yoon Seok-yeol has left the Presidential Office unable to hide its embarrassment. Despite requests from the press, the office remains silent without issuing an official statement regarding the dismissal of the former president.

Until just before the ruling was announced, the Presidential Office was busy hoping for a dismissal or rejection, but the atmosphere quickly cooled once the dismissal was decided.

A senior aide who watched the live broadcast of the Constitutional Court's ruling on TV said, "We expected a '5 to 3 dismissal' or a '4 to 4' dismissal, but the unanimous decision by all constitutional justices to dismiss was shocking," adding, "There is nothing to say." At the moment the dismissal of former President Yoon was decided, sighs were heard throughout the Presidential Office.

Shortly after the dismissal decision, the presidential flag (Bonghwanggi) that had been flying in front of the Yongsan Presidential Office building was taken down from the flagpole around 11:40 a.m. The Bonghwanggi is a symbol of the head of state that is flown continuously during the president's term. The flag, featuring two phoenixes facing each other with a Mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon) emblem, was first used in January 1967 during President Park Chung-hee's administration.

The Presidential Office had been preparing for former President Yoon's return by considering various briefings on current issues, convening Cabinet meetings, and holding National Security Council (NSC) sessions, but all these plans have now become moot.

There is intense political interest in whether former President Yoon will issue a 'concession declaration' message, but the Presidential Office continues to maintain silence on this matter as well.

A Presidential Office official stated, "Since the president's dismissal has been decided, the functions of the Presidential Office will inevitably be significantly reduced," adding, "Some organizations responsible for policy functions will continue their work by assisting Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who is acting president, but many functions will be lost."

There are also speculations that senior aides at the level of chief secretaries or higher in the Presidential Office may collectively offer their resignations to Acting President Han.