(Reuters) -South Korea’s Constitutional Court is set to rule on the fate of President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday after parliament impeached Yoon and suspended his powers over his short-lived declaration of martial law on Dec. 3.
The justices had 180 days to decide whether to remove Yoon, a conservative, from office. In the past, they have not always voted based on perceived political leanings.
There has also been a dispute between the ruling and opposition parties over a vacancy on the nine-member court.
Here are profiles of the eight current justices:
MOON HYUNGBAE
Moon, 59, is currently acting chief justice of the Constitutional Court.
Appointed by former President Moon Jae-in, he is seen as holding liberal views.
He has backed some minority opinions while on the court, including finding unconstitutional laws punishing sexual activity between same-sex soldiers.
However, he struck down the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in late March as part of a majority opinion, saying there was no evidence Han violated the constitution or law concerning Yoon’s martial law.
Moon’s six-year term expires in April 18, 2025 and the court will now rule on Yoon’s impeachment before his and another justice’s terms expire.
LEE MISON
Lee, 55, was one of the youngest justices appointed under the previous Moon administration, with her term expiring in April 2025.
Before her appointment, she was known as a labour law expert and has been a sitting judge overseeing trials for roughly two decades.
Lee, who is viewed as holding liberal views, joined Moon on the ruling on Han’s impeachment.
KIM HYUNGDU
Kim, 59, was nominated by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su. His six-year term began in 2023.
He was the first judge to establish the legal principle that a 1975 emergency presidential measure that made possible arrests without warrants or subject to judicial review was illegal, and victims could be compensated by the state, according to local media.
Since joining the Constitutional Court, Kim has mostly ruled with the majority, including on Han.
JUNG JUNGMI
Jung, 55, is the sixth woman appointed to the court.She is not seen as leaning in any particular political direction.
Jung found unconstitutional the law punishing sexual activity between same-sex soldiers, but agreed with the majority opinion on an alternative for conscientious objectors to maintain the current military system.
She voted with the majority in striking down Han’s impeachment.
CHEONG HYUNGSIK
Cheong, 63, is viewed as conservative and is the sole Constitutional Court justice appointed by Yoon.
In a 2013 trial of a case involving a former liberal prime minister charged with receiving illegal political funds, Cheong overturned a lower court ruling and imposed a two-year prison term.
In 2018, Cheong overturned a lower court ruling in a case involving Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee and gave him a suspended sentence. Lee was charged with bribery in connection with impeached president Park Geun-hye.
For Yoon’s trial, Cheong was randomly picked as the main justice in charge, drawing criticism from the opposition Democratic Party.
However, during the trial hearings Cheong has shared the role of putting questions to witnesses or clarifying matters with Justice Kim Hyungdu.
Cheong said there were no grounds for Han’s impeachment.
KIM BOK-HYEONG
Kim, 56, took up her appointment in September 2024, and Yoon’s trial will be one of her first high-profile cases at the court.
On Han’s impeachment, Kim went a step further from the majority that struck down the impeachment, giving the opinion that Han refusing to appoint Constitutional Court justices did not equal a violation of the constitution or law.
CHUNG KYESUN
Chung, 55, was nominated by the opposition Democratic Party and appointed at the end of December by Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who was acting president at the time.
She has promoted research and discussion of rights of groups such as the disabled, women, children, refugees, migrants and minorities.
Yoon’s legal counsel attempted unsuccessfully to challenge her involvement in the proceedings. She was the sole justice to uphold Han’s impeachment.
CHO HANCHANG
Cho, 59, was nominated by the ruling People Power Party and appointed at the end of December by Choi.
He has worked at all levels of courts during his more than two decades on the bench.
Cho said during his confirmation hearing that the president’s acts of governance could also be subject to judicial review, and said he would “abide by legal procedures and make a speedy, fair and just ruling” on Yoon’s trial.
He gave the same opinion as Cheong, saying there were no grounds for Han’s impeachment.
(Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Ed Davies and Kate Mayberry)
