[Seoul, South Korea’s parliament voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday, a historic move that is likely to have significant implications for the country’s political landscape. The move came after Yoon’s own ruling party turned on him following his refusal to resign over his surprise declaration of martial law.
The vote, which was passed by 204 lawmakers with 85 opposed, is a major blow to Yoon’s presidency. He is now suspended from exercising his powers until the decision is finally adjudicated by the country’s Constitutional Court, which could take up to six months.
Yoon conceded defeat, saying he would “stop temporarily for now, but the journey to the future that I’ve walked with the people for the past two years should not stop.” He added, “I will not give up, with all the encouragement and support for me in mind, I will do my best until the last moment for the nation.”
The country’s Prime Minister, Han Duck-soo, has taken over as acting president and vowed to “devote all my strength and effort to stable operation of state affairs.”
The vote is a major victory for the opposition parties, which had been pushing for impeachment for months. “The great democracy of South Korea will survive and will be born again” after the impeachment, said Kang Sun-woo, a lawmaker with the Democratic Party.
The country’s National Assembly building was the site of intense scenes on Saturday, with thousands of protesters gathering to call for Yoon’s resignation, while thousands of his supporters rallied in downtown Seoul. “He surely tried to have a war against the citizens so this is just what he deserved,” said one protester. “Democracy is back!” shouted another.
Yoon’s fate will now be decided by the Constitutional Court, which is expected to take several months. If confirmed, he will become the second South Korean president to be thrown out of office through impeachment, after Park Geun-hye.
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