South Korean Parliament impeaches President Yoon Suk Yeol after martial law attempt

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol impeached

In a dramatic political development, South Korea‘s parliament voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday, marking a significant escalation following his controversial declaration of martial law earlier this month. The impeachment motion was passed with 204 lawmakers voting in favor and 85 opposing it. As a result, President Yoon has been suspended from exercising his powers pending a ruling by South Korea’s Constitutional Court.

This is the second time in less than a decade that a South Korean president has faced impeachment proceedings. The move follows Yoon’s decision to declare martial law on December 3, sending soldiers to parliament to prevent lawmakers from entering the building to vote against the decree. The decree sparked outrage across the nation, particularly given South Korea’s history of martial law under military dictatorships before its transition to democracy in the 1980s.

Yoon’s decision to impose martial law was seen by many as an authoritarian move, with the president citing the need to break a political deadlock caused by the opposition majority in parliament. However, the move backfired, with growing opposition and protests calling for his resignation. Thousands gathered in Seoul to demand his removal, leading to the impeachment vote.

In a defiant speech before the impeachment vote, Yoon defended his actions, accusing the opposition of engaging in “anti-state” activities and attempting to sabotage the country’s democratic process. However, his own ruling party turned on him, with the party leader withdrawing support and backing impeachment as the “only way to defend democracy.”

The impeachment proceedings are a direct result of the fallout from Yoon’s martial law decision. Lawmakers had already failed in an earlier attempt to impeach him, as many members of his ruling party had initially boycotted the vote, hoping Yoon would voluntarily step down. The martial law attempt, however, ultimately galvanized his critics, leading to this unprecedented political showdown.

The president now faces investigations on charges of treason and abuse of power. Special counsel investigations are underway to determine whether Yoon violated the law by declaring martial law without proper legal grounds. Furthermore, South Korean police have raided the presidential office as part of these investigations, and Yoon has been barred from leaving the country.

As the political crisis unfolds, the country faces months of uncertainty as the Constitutional Court deliberates on Yoon’s impeachment. If confirmed, Yoon will become the second South Korean president to be removed from office by impeachment, following the 2016-2017 impeachment of President Park Geun-hye over corruption charges.

In the meantime, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has assumed the role of acting president, though he too faces his own challenges, including ongoing investigations related to the martial law decree. This period of political turmoil mirrors the last impeachment crisis and raises serious questions about South Korea’s political future.

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