South Korean Parliament Votes to Impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol Following Martial Law Bid

Members of South Korea’s parliament have cast votes to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, a move prompted by his unsuccessful effort to declare martial law, an action that ignited widespread demonstrations nationwide. His suspension followed a vote where certain members of his own People Power Party (PPP) sided with the opposition; however, this resolution requires confirmation by the constitutional court. On Saturday evening, thousands of demonstrators opposing Yoon gathered outside the National Assembly to celebrate the passage of the impeachment motion, with the assembly of people singing while fireworks illuminated the sky above. President Yoon has pledged to continue his struggle, stating he “will never give up” and characterizing the vote as a provisional halt to his presidential term. He further declared, “I will take your criticism, praise, and support to the heart and do my best for the country until the end.” This resolute language contrasts sharply with the contrite stance he adopted earlier this month regarding his brief martial law proclamation. Following several months of political stalemate, Yoon sought to implement military governance, asserting its necessity to thwart alleged North Korean attempts to destabilize his administration; nevertheless, the declaration was revoked by MPs within a few hours. Significant public backing for Yoon’s impeachment has been evident, as recent surveys indicated that three-quarters of the South Korean populace desired his removal from office. After enduring several days of public scrutiny, the PPP opted to permit its legislators to vote on the measure, subsequent to a previous attempt to impeach Yoon last week that failed due to its lawmakers boycotting the session. On Saturday, the impeachment motion achieved the required two-thirds majority for approval, with 12 members from Yoon’s party casting votes in support. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, upon declaring the outcome, stated, “To the people, we hope your end of year will be a little happier now, and all your cancelled year-end celebrations to be restored.” Woo, who belongs to the primary opposition Democratic Party, further remarked, “The future of the Republic of Korea and our hope is in the hands of the people, our hope is strong.” The constitutional court is now allotted 180 days to render a decision on whether Yoon’s impeachment will be affirmed or if he may resume his duties. Should the court decide to uphold the impeachment, an election for the subsequent president must be scheduled within 60 days. Yoon’s duties have been suspended, with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo assuming the role of acting president. Han stated that his primary objective is to “stabilise the situation” and “bring back normalcy for the people.” Nevertheless, both Han and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who stands as the next in succession for the presidency, are implicated in a current police investigation concerning the incidents of last week. Outside the National Assembly, where tens of thousands of demonstrators convened all day despite frigid temperatures, individuals lauded the vote as a triumph for democracy and expressed their resolve to witness Yoon’s permanent departure from office. “I’m so happy that the bill passed… At the same time, the fight is not over,” physical therapist Sim Hee-seon conveyed to the BBC, wiping away tears. She added, “We’ll have to wait for the court’s judgment for his impeachment to be finalised. We will keep watching.” Two women, dressed in Rudolf costumes, displayed placards that stated: “[It will be] a merry Christmas only if Yoon Seok Yul disappears”. Meanwhile, at a pro-Yoon gathering in Gwanghwamun Square elsewhere in the city, the atmosphere was markedly different. His adherents became quiet upon learning the outcome of the vote, with some individuals voicing angry expletives before departing the location. The successful passage of the vote hinged on the backing of the PPP, given that the opposition legislators who introduced the motion required only eight additional votes to succeed. The previous Saturday, when the opposition initially sought to impeach Yoon, they failed by a narrow margin of votes because the PPP orchestrated a walkout. On Saturday, the party conducted an extended meeting, commencing at 10am and continuing until mere minutes before the voting session started, as PPP lawmakers endeavored to achieve agreement on the party’s position. Ultimately, the party consented to participate and granted its legislators the freedom to vote based on their individual conscience. It seemed that a minimum of 12 members defected, while another 85 voted against the impeachment. South Korea has experienced nearly two weeks of disorder and unpredictability since Yoon’s brief martial law declaration late last Tuesday. Yoon had referenced dangers from “anti-state forces” and North Korea, but it quickly became apparent that his action was motivated by his internal political difficulties, rather than by foreign threats. Several hours afterward, he rescinded the directive following a vote of 190 MPs against it, with numerous members scaling fences and breaching barricades to access the voting chamber. Yoon subsequently issued an apology, but on Thursday, he defended his conduct, asserting that he had aimed to safeguard the nation’s democracy and pledging to “fight on until the end.” That address energized the public, and the president’s approval figures plummeted to an unprecedented low of 11%, as per a survey conducted by Gallup Korea. The impeachment of a president is not an unfamiliar occurrence for South Korea, which previously ousted former president Park Geun-hye via this procedure in 2016. Yoon, who was then a prosecutor, had spearheaded the inquiry against Park, culminating in her impeachment. Further reporting was contributed by Leehyun Choi, Jake Kwon, and Yuna Ku from Seoul. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external links is available.