South Korea National Assembly votes to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol

Sat Dec 14 08:03:18 UTC 2024: ## South Korean President Impeached Amidst Martial Law Controversy

**Seoul, South Korea** – South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has been impeached by the National Assembly, marking a dramatic escalation in the political turmoil sparked by his controversial attempt to impose martial law. The unicameral assembly voted 204 to 85 in favor of impeachment on Saturday, surpassing the required two-thirds majority. The vote, conducted by secret ballot, was met with audible gasps inside the chamber and cheers from thousands of protesters gathered outside.

President Yoon’s attempt to impose martial law, which was short-lived, triggered widespread outrage and plunged the nation into political uncertainty. His approval rating had plummeted to a mere 11 percent before the impeachment vote. Despite the impeachment, Yoon vowed to continue serving the country until the end of the process.

Crucially, some members of Yoon’s own conservative People Power Party (PPP) voted in favor of impeachment, defying the party’s official stance. This defection, along with the unified opposition, ensured the necessary votes to remove him from office temporarily. The PPP had boycotted a previous impeachment attempt, but party leader Han Dong-hoon urged members to participate in the latest vote.

The impeachment automatically suspends Yoon from his duties, with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo assuming the role of acting president. The Constitutional Court now has 180 days to decide whether to permanently remove Yoon from office. A ruling in favor of removal would make him only the second South Korean president to be successfully impeached, following Park Geun-hye in 2017.

The political fallout is far from over. While the opposition celebrated the vote as a victory for the constitution, President Yoon has pledged to fight the impeachment in court. The deep divisions within the country were evident in rival rallies held in Seoul before the vote, with an estimated 200,000 people taking to the streets to express their support for or opposition to the president. Analysts warn that the political uncertainty will likely persist for months to come.