Chief Justice Yoon Young-chul read out the Constitutional Court verdict on President Roh’s impeachment case Friday./ TV photo Constitutional Court Concludes Final Verdict Parties Respond to Impeachment Dismissal Roh Humbly Accepts Decision, Plans Apology Interview With Justice Choo Sun-hoe Roh Must Understand the Court's Ruling Roh to Stress Compromise, Co-existence World Leaders and Foreign Community Congratulate Roh on Reinstatement

At 10:28 a.m. Friday, the Constitutional Court dismissed the outgoing National Assembly presidential impeachment request and ruled that President Roh's powers be restored.

Accordingly, Roh is to have his powers immediately restored from the time of Constitutional Court president Yun Yeong-cheol's ruling. The National Assembly, however, will come under criticism that it launched a groundless impeachment.

The court, citing article 36, clause 3 of the Constitutional Court law, felt that not releasing the minority opinion would be proper, but it did not confirm how the nine justices split of the decision.

The court ruled that there were no procedural problems with the National Assembly's impeachment vote, and therefore could not accept the presidential defense team's reasons for dismissal.

Among the three reasons for impeachment, the court ruled that Roh's remarks to reporters in February that drew a warning from the National Election Committee and his calls for a confidence vote were violations of his duty as protector of the constitution.

With the Constitutional Court’s final ruling on the presidential impeachment broadcasted live on Friday, participants in the 37th annual Asia Development Bank (ADB) conference watch the news on TV at the Jeju International Convention Center, where the conference is being held. /Yonhap

Those violations, however, did not qualify as the "grave violation of duty" required to impeachment the president.

With the Constitutional Court’s decision to dismiss the impeachment Friday, a welcoming placard is hung in President Roh’s hometown in South Gyeongsang Provice on Friday.

The court also said the corruption among presidential aides either occured before Roh assumed office or Roh's involvement was not clearly revealed, and economic mismanagement could never be considered grounds for impeachment.

Six companies of riot police were on guard around the courthouse, and both pro- and anti- impeachment supporters have been making a commotion in front of the courthouse since early this morning.

By Sung-Ho Youn and Robert Koehler

(englishnews@chosun.com )