The first in the constitutional history, former President Yoon Seok-yeol has been denied the Order of Merit for Service to the Republic of Korea.

Former President Yoon Seok-yeol has become the first in the history of the Republic of Korea to be denied the highest legal honor, the Order of Merit for Service to the Republic of Korea, due to the Constitutional Court's impeachment decision resulting in his removal from office.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 4th, the Order of Merit for Service to the Republic of Korea is the highest medal awarded in accordance with the award law and can only be granted to the sitting president and their spouse, heads of state from allied countries and their spouses, or former heads of state from allied countries with distinctive contributions to the development and security of Korea.

This honor can only be awarded while one is in office, so former President Yoon, having been impeached by the Constitutional Court, has lost eligibility for the Order of Merit for Service to the Republic of Korea, as he is no longer in office.

A ministry official clearly stated, "A past president cannot receive it retroactively. There is no room for interpretation on this."

Instances of the Order of Merit for Service being awarded to past presidents have varied in timing. Former President Park Geun-hye received the Order shortly after her inauguration, while former Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Lee Myung-bak received it at the end of their terms. Former President Moon Jae-in received the honor at the last Cabinet meeting of his term.

The Order of Merit for Service is an expensive honor made from 190 don of gold and precious stones such as amethyst and rubies.

The most recent award given to former President Moon Jae-in and his spouse cost approximately 68 million KRW per set, totaling over 130 million KRW in production costs.

The first recipient was Syngman Rhee… The first First Lady, Kim Geon-hee, also did not receive it.

This honor was first awarded on August 15, 1949, to former President Syngman Rhee and has since been awarded to 91 heads of foreign states and 23 former presidents and first ladies of the Republic of Korea.

All Korean recipients have been either presidents or first ladies.

Due to former President Yoon's impeachment, his wife, First Lady Kim Geon-hee, also became the first first lady not to receive the Order of Merit for Service. This signifies that the first presidential couple in the history of the Republic of Korea has been born without receiving the Order of Merit for Service.

Image credit: Yoon Seok-yeol / News1, KTV National Broadcasting, News1