Yoon Suk-yeol

Yoon Suk-yeol (윤석열) is a South Korean politician and former career prosecutor who served as President of the Republic of Korea beginning 10 May 2022. A member of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), he narrowly defeated Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung in the March 2022 presidential election by roughly 0.73 percentage points, the closest margin in South Korean presidential history.

Before entering politics, Yoon built his reputation as a prosecutor, notably leading investigations that resulted in the conviction of former President Park Geun-hye during the 2016–2017 corruption scandal. He served as Prosecutor-General from 2019 to 2021 under President Moon Jae-in, but resigned amid clashes with the Moon administration over prosecutorial reform, then quickly pivoted to a presidential run.

As president, Yoon pursued a notably hawkish foreign policy: he tightened the US–ROK alliance, agreed to the Washington Declaration with President Joe Biden in April 2023 establishing a Nuclear Consultative Group, and brokered a controversial rapprochement with Japan, culminating in the trilateral Camp David summit of August 2023 with Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. He took a harder line toward North Korea and distanced Seoul somewhat from Beijing.

Domestically, his presidency was marked by gridlock with a Democratic Party–controlled National Assembly, low approval ratings, and scandals involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee. On 3 December 2024, Yoon abruptly declared martial law, citing alleged "anti-state" forces; the National Assembly voted to lift it within hours. The Assembly impeached him on 14 December 2024, suspending his powers. The Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment on 4 April 2025, formally removing him from office. He was subsequently indicted on insurrection-related charges, making him the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested.