Seoul: Former President Yoon Suk Yeol remained at the official presidential residence in Seoul on Saturday following his dismissal by the Constitutional Court the previous day. Preparations for his departure were reportedly under way.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Yoon was removed from office after the Constitutional Court unanimously upheld his impeachment over his martial law imposition in December. This development sets the stage for a presidential election likely in June. While no official timeline has been established, sources indicate that Yoon is unlikely to leave the presidential residence in Hannam-dong before early next week.
"There is much to sort through and prepare," a presidential office official told Yonhap News Agency, adding that Yoon will be able to move out after the weekend at the earliest. In contrast, former President Park Geun-hye vacated the presidential residence two days after her 2017 impeachment ruling.
Yoon is expected to relocate to his private home at a residential complex in southern Seoul, where he lived before taking office in May 2022. During that time, he commuted from the complex while the Hannam-dong residence was under renovation. Challenges remain, however, as setting up a dedicated security annex could be difficult in the residential complex. Some sources suggest Yoon may be considering alternative arrangements due to the presence of multiple pets.
"Once the former president decides on a new residence, we will proceed with protection measures according to the relevant law and regulation," an official of the Presidential Security Service said. No formal notice of his relocation has been received yet. Under current law, former presidents removed from office through impeachment are still entitled to a security detail, though other post-presidential benefits are revoked.
Meanwhile, the presidential office has yet to issue an official public statement regarding the court's decision. On Friday, key senior aides, including chief of staff Chung Jin-suk, offered their resignations to acting President Han Duck-soo, but Han rejected them.