Once celebrated as a fearless prosecutor and champion of justice, Yoon Suk Yeol’s dramatic downfall has stunned South Korea and the world. On Friday, the Constitutional Court ruled he had abused his power by declaring martial law in December, permanently removing him from office a shocking climax to a presidency that began with promise but unraveled through authoritarian impulses and political miscalculations.
Yoon rose to prominence by defying political pressure and investigating corruption at the highest levels, famously jailing former President Park Geun-hye. His no-nonsense approach won him admiration across the political divide, setting him up for an unlikely run at the presidency. Yet, those very traits his doggedness, temper, and refusal to compromise would ultimately become liabilities.
Insiders describe a leader who mistrusted advice, refused dialogue with opposition, and relied heavily on a small circle of loyalists. His confrontational stance alienated moderates and triggered a power struggle with parliament. Public support dwindled as he pushed unpopular policies and failed to manage scandals involving his wife.
As pressure mounted, Yoon’s worldview grew increasingly conspiratorial. He reportedly consumed far-right media and began accusing opponents of North Korean sympathies without evidence. By December, he made a catastrophic decision: to declare martial law in an attempt to punish the opposition, a move that lasted just six hours before massive resistance forced a retreat.
Friends and confidantes, including campaign advisers and childhood companions, describe a man consumed by a belief that he alone could save the nation. His tragic flaw, they say, was an unwillingness to be liked, mistaking popularity for weakness. “He thought he was saving the country,” said one former ally, “but he destroyed his career and endangered our democracy.”
Yoon’s presidency will be remembered not for reform or unity, but for how it nearly upended South Korea’s hard-won democratic order. His fall serves as a stark reminder: the traits that make a great prosecutor do not always make a great president.
