In an unprecedented political shift, South Korea’s National Assembly voted for Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment after his controversial martial law attempt. Lawmakers cast a decisive 204 to 85 vote on Saturday, suspending Yoon’s presidency halfway through his term.
Protesters in Seoul filled the streets before the vote, with 200,000 rallying for his impeachment. Yoon’s supporters participated in the protest and rallied for him near Gwanghwamun Square and the National Assembly.
Amid the freezing temperatures, organizers distributed food and banners to encourage the protesters to support his removal. These divided rallies reflect a deeply fractured South Korean society reeling from the fallout of Yoon’s short-lived marital law.
The impeachment marks only the second in South Korea’s history, following Park Geun-hye’s removal in 2017. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will now serve as the interim President, while the constitutional court will decide Yoon’s fate in 180 days.
The court’s six judges had to reach a unanimous decision to affirm Yoon’s removal. Yoon, however, remains defiant, claiming opposition collusion with communists. This political turmoil stemmed from Yoon deploying soldiers and helicopters to parliament to enforce the marital law.
Lawmakers quickly voted down his decision, which many consider an insurrectionary act. Critics, including Lee Jae-myung, demanded Yoon’s resignation after this incident. For the previous impeachment vote, opposition parties rallied support from seven members of Yoon’s People Power party (PPP), barely surpassing the two-thirds majority needed for his removal.
However, the PPP leadership rejected the proposal and declared that his actions were misjudged but not grounds for Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment. With his approval rating at a historic low of 11%, Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached. South Koreans overwhelmingly backed his impeachment, viewing it as restoring democratic values.
