Park Geun-hye is on her way out. But this is only the beginning.
On Friday, South Korea’s Constitutional Court unanimously upheld the legislature’s impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. After months of political uncertainty, Park became the first democratically elected leader in the country to be stripped of her powers, which had been suspended since the legislature’s 234-to-56 impeachment vote in December.
The scandal that brought down Park also led to the demise of the ruling party, engulfed officials and business leaders alike, and has preoccupied South Koreans for months.
The ruling was eagerly awaited. But it’s a beginning more than an end. Here are five things you should know for the road ahead.
1) The ruling was unanimous and unambiguous.
Although most observers had expected the court to uphold the impeachment, the court sent a surprisingly clear message with the unanimous decision. The court upheld most, but not all, of the legislature’s charges against the president. More importantly, it strongly condemned Park for hiding how her friend and confidante Choi Soon-sil had intervened in state affairs for private gain. The decision also criticized Park for denying allegations of misconduct and slamming anyone who raised questions about her actions.
As prosecutors prepare a potential case against Park and pursue charges against others involved, the ruling will be entered as evidence alongside a special prosecutor’s report released last week. That report called Park a co-conspirator with her confidante, but Park’s attorney derided the findings as “ fiction.”
The Constitutional Court left no doubts that Park had “betrayed the people’s trust,” “violated the Constitution and laws,” and merited impeachment. It’s hard to overstate the significance of her peaceful removal from office for South Korea’s three-decade-old democracy.
2) Park’s failure to respond immediately to the ruling emboldens a tiny but vocal minority that refuses to accept the ruling.
Park, however, did not personally and unambiguously respond to the ruling. Her attorney declared Friday that he could not accept the ruling and blamed “left-leaning and North Korean-sympathizing” forces in Korean society for Park’s ouster. She also remained in the presidential palace for more than 48 hours after the ruling, with aides explaining that she needed to come to terms with the ruling and prepare her house in another part of Seoul.
Park’s silence prolonged the political crisis. The remnants of the ruling party “ humbly respected ” the ruling and apologized to the people, and acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn has urged acceptance of the ruling. Seeming to continue a pattern of defiance toward the charges against her, Park Geun-hye released a statement through a spokesman Sunday night that ambiguously said, “It may take time, but I believe the truth will be revealed.”
Although dwarfed by celebratory rallies, anti-impeachment rallies outside the Constitutional Court rejected the ruling and turned violent on Friday and Saturday. Three people died and dozens were injured. About a sixth of South Koreans — mostly from the older generations and not even a majority of any age cohort — still support Park or oppose impeachment for various reasons. Word from Park could calm these minority voices and begin healing the deep rifts in Korean society.
3) The public overwhelming supported impeachment, but tackling the root causes of the scandal will take time.
