Photo at top: Kim Jong-un, alongside his daughter Ju-ae, attends a ceremony in Pyongyang’s Hwasong area on April 15, 2025, to mark the dedication of 10,000 apartments in a newly developed area on the birth anniversary of his grandfather Kim Il-sung.
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Dr. Mark P. Barry's Korea-related bio is here: http://mark-p-barry.com/2014/07/25/mark-p-barry-brief-bio/
(Updated) Trump’s potential view of a reinstated Yoon: “Step down”
The Constitutional Court’s ruling on Yoon’s impeachment will be announced at 11 a.m. KT on April 4 (10 pm ET April 3). Here is Arirang News’ outline of three verdict scenarios:
The Constitutional Court’s ruling on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s fate comes tomorrow. The president will be absent. Our correspondent Oh Soo-young explains potential scenarios on Friday:
“The fate of President Yoon Suk Yeol and the nation hangs on the Constitutional Court’s decision on his impeachment Friday. The ruling will mean immediate consequences regarding the governance of the country as the leader’s removal or reinstatement spells out very different outcomes.
If the Court upholds the impeachment, Yoon would become the nation’s second president in history to be removed from office—following Park Geun-hye’s impeachment eight years ago. Effective immediately, Yoon would have to vacate his office for good and leave the official residence in Yongsan-gu District. He would lose all post-presidential privileges—no pension, no office, no staff support, and no burial rights at the National Cemetery. His protection would be limited to basic personal security. With the leadership vacuum made permanent, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would continue as Acting President until an early election is held within 60 days.
On the flip side, if the impeachment is dismissed with prejudice it would mean the Court has found the National Assembly’s grounds for his removal insufficient and the case is closed for good. After over three months of suspension, the President would immediately resume his duties. It’s expected he’d then address the public through a televised message or press conference.
His first tasks back in office are likely to focus first on foreign policy and national security, as there has not been top-level engagement with the United States since President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Yoon would also begin laying out proposals for constitutional and political reform, as pledged during his final court appearance.
While his impeachment case would be closed for good, Yoon would still face investigations regarding his Dec. 3 Martial Law declaration, but during his presidency, would be immune from charges other than for treason and insurrection.
Another scenario is the Court dismissing the case without prejudice. The case would be dropped due to legal or procedural issues, meaning the bench decided not to rule on the grounds or evidence presented. The President would return to office, but the National Assembly could reattempt impeachment in the future.
Six or more justices must consent to uphold an impeachment. Three or more justices deciding against impeachment would lead to a dismissal.
While sources say the justices have reached an understanding on the verdict, the bench is expected to sign off their decision at the last minute, either the evening before or early in the morning of the ruling, to maintain utmost confidentiality.
The ruling takes legal effect the moment the presiding justice reads the decision on live TV.
President Yoon’s lawyers told the press on Thursday that the suspended leader has decided not to go to the Court to hear his verdict in person, taking into the account the need to maintain public order, and presidential security arrangements.
In past impeachment cases, former Presidents Park Geun-hye and Roh Moo-hyun did not attend their ruling sessions either.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.”♦
Postscript: A unanimous Constitutional Court decision…
Walesa to Trump: ‘Don’t turn your back on decades of U.S. support for opponents of tyranny’
ChatGPT translation from Polish to English of Walesa's letter to Trump, co-signed by former Polish political prisoners:
— Dr. Mark P. Barry (@drmarkpbarry.bsky.social) 2025-03-04T13:59:47.280Z
Photo at top: Lech Walesa, the former Polish president and Solidarity trade union leader, who played a leading role in the fall of Communism, in April 2024.
Zelensky must pick between Putin’s military violation of Ukraine and Trump’s economic violation. North Korea is watching.
The terms of Trump's contract that landed at Zelensky’s office a week ago amount to the US economic colonization of Ukraine, in legal perpetuity. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202…
— Dr. Mark P. Barry (@drmarkpbarry.bsky.social) 2025-02-17T20:24:14.826Z
Between Trump's plan to displace Palestinians in Gaza and exorbitant demand for compensation from Ukraine, North Korea likely concluded it is better off allied with Russia than with China or the U.S. To the DPRK, they are all imperialists, but it values retaining its sovereignty above all else.
— Dr. Mark P. Barry (@drmarkpbarry.bsky.social) 2025-02-17T20:59:42.710Z
Photo at top: Ukraine’s President Zelensky met with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other U.S. officials at the Munich Security Conference, Feb. 14, 2025.
South Korea needs new leader to stand up to the Trump steamroller
Ruling party chief dismisses speculation Yoon may voluntarily resign before impeachment ruling (which is to really say, "He will resign") en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2025…
— Dr. Mark P. Barry (@drmarkpbarry.bsky.social) 2025-02-17T03:06:57.935Z
Never mind Rubio's meeting with FM Cho this weekend with its pro forma statements. The Trump steamroller is heading for South Korea and it needs a duly-elected ROK leader who has the political foundation to deal with Trump. The sooner Yoon resigns the better for South Korea it will be.
— Dr. Mark P. Barry (@drmarkpbarry.bsky.social) 2025-02-17T03:12:52.791Z
Photo at top: Acting as the ceremonial pace car, President Trump took a lap around the Daytona 500 racetrack in his presidential limousine, drawing cheers from NASCAR fans not long after completing a dramatic flyby on Air Force One, Feb. 16, 2025.
For Kim, Trump’s Gaza population displacement plan implies U.S. only seeks his capitulation
(My interview today where I claim North Korea has every reason to be wary of Trump after his pushing his Gaza population displacement plan) Leaders of U.S. and N. Korea express opposing stances on denuclearization | Arirang News http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu8c…
— Dr. Mark P. Barry (@drmarkpbarry.bsky.social) 2025-02-12T12:33:42.303Z
Photo at top: President Trump speaks with Jordan’s King Abdullah II in the Oval Office at the White House, Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington.
For Trump, there are no small deals, only a “big deal”
North Korea may be offered a similar model down the road, a sweeping "big deal." Of course, Kim already has nukes, not on the verge of them like Iran. But talk of a "small deal" is baloney. This is how Trump works. If he can't get Kim to agree to some kind of "big deal," Trump will just ignore him.
— Dr. Mark P. Barry (@drmarkpbarry.bsky.social) 2025-02-05T16:19:48.646Z
If Trump did a "small deal" with a nation, he thinks it would imply he couldn't do a "big deal." He doesn't want to look weak, and so he offers only a "big deal," or he walks away – "better no deal than a bad deal" as he said in Hanoi in 2019.
— Dr. Mark P. Barry (@drmarkpbarry.bsky.social) 2025-02-05T17:10:12.406Z
In short: Trump only wants to do a "grand bargain," no interim or halfway measures. He's like a light switch: either "on" or "off" on major diplomatic problems.
— Dr. Mark P. Barry (@drmarkpbarry.bsky.social) 2025-02-05T17:17:38.551Z
Inside Trump’s Hastily Written Proposal to ‘Own’ Gaza – The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/u…
— Dr. Mark P. Barry (@drmarkpbarry.bsky.social) 2025-02-06T03:17:18.917Z
“Avoid the White House, deal with Rubio”
Trump era 2.0 : Key challenges and the future of the U.S.-S. Korea alliance | Arirang News http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ3x…
— Dr. Mark P. Barry (@drmarkpbarry.bsky.social) 2025-01-31T13:33:20.996Z
This is an important conversation. I largely agree with Prof. Kelly on Trump-ROK relations (e.g., "avoid the White House, deal with Rubio") but also sense Trump has a healthy respect for the Korean people per se, which counterbalances his unproductive policies. The ROK should stand up to Trump.
— Dr. Mark P. Barry (@drmarkpbarry.bsky.social) 2025-01-31T15:31:52.119Z