South Korea’s National Assembly voted on Saturday to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol for his failed attempt to impose martial law.
The impeachment motion passed with 204 votes in favor, 85 against, and three abstentions. Eight ballots were invalid. As a result, Yoon will be suspended from office once the resolution is delivered. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will serve as acting president.
Before the vote, Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) decided to participate but opposed the impeachment. The vote revealed that 12 PPP lawmakers broke ranks to support the impeachment.
A two-thirds majority, or 200 votes, was needed for approval. The opposition bloc, which includes the Democratic Party and five smaller parties, controls 192 of the 300 seats in the National Assembly.
The first impeachment attempt, made last Saturday, failed when nearly all PPP members boycotted the vote. However, a second motion was introduced on Thursday by the opposition, accusing Yoon of violating the Constitution by declaring martial law on December 3. The decree was lifted six hours later after the Assembly voted to repeal it.
The second motion revised the original charges, removing some and adding others. These include allegations that Yoon ordered the arrest of lawmakers during the martial law period.
The motion will now go to the Constitutional Court, which will decide whether to reinstate Yoon or remove him from office. If upheld, Yoon will be the second South Korean president to be ousted, following Park Geun-hye in 2017.
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