The South Korean parliament on Saturday successfully voted to impeach incumbent President Yoon Suk Yeol and suspend him from his official duties over his short-lived attempt last week to impose martial law.
The motion was carried after at least 12 members of Yoon’s People Power Party joined the opposition parties, which control 192 seats in the 300-member national assembly, clearing the two-thirds threshold needed for impeachment.
The number of lawmakers supporting impeachment was 204, with 85 against, three abstentions and eight invalid ballots.
Although suspended, Yoon remains in office. Under the country’s constitution Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who was appointed by Yoon, becomes acting president.
The Constitutional Court will decide whether to remove him sometime in the next six months.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has become the second consecutive conservative leader in the country to face impeachment, following Park Geun-hye’s removal in 2017. The impeachment process, which could take weeks, requires the approval of six out of nine judges on the Constitutional Court for Yoon’s removal. If this occurs, a snap election must be held within 60 days of the court’s decision.
South Korean Speaker Woo Won-shik expressed optimism, stating, “The future of the Republic of Korea and our hope is in the hands of the people.” The impeachment follows a failed attempt earlier this week, which was blocked by Yoon’s People Power Party. Prime Minister Han Duk-soo, reacting to the situation, assured that he would work towards maintaining government stability, saying, “My heart is very heavy.”
President Yoon had previously vowed in a televised address to “fight to the end” against the impeachment and described his political opponents as “anti-state forces.” The situation escalated on December 4, when Yoon briefly declared martial law, resulting in South Korean troops attempting to enter the parliament building. The move sparked outrage, with lawmakers rejecting the decree by a majority vote, compelling Yoon to revoke the declaration hours later.
The martial law declaration drew widespread criticism from various societal sectors, fueling demands for Yoon’s impeachment. While Yoon later apologized to the nation, he defended his decision and dismissed calls for resignation. He is now under criminal investigation for alleged insurrection related to the martial law incident and has been barred from traveling abroad.
