South Korean Lawmakers Impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol Over Failed Martial Law Bid

In a significant political shift, South Korean lawmakers have voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol following his controversial attempt to impose martial law. The impeachment motion passed with 204 votes in favor, 85 against, three abstentions, and eight invalid ballots, clearing the two-thirds majority needed for impeachment in the 300-member National Assembly.

The motion gained traction as some members of Yoon's People Power Party joined opposition parties, which collectively hold 192 seats. This coalition effectively enabled the impeachment vote, which the opposition hailed as a “victory of the people.”

The Constitutional Court will now have up to six months to decide on Yoon’s removal from office. Yoon is the second conservative president in South Korea to face impeachment; his predecessor, Park Geun-hye, was ousted in 2017.

The impeachment follows Yoon's shocking announcement on December 3, when he granted the military sweeping emergency powers to combat what he described as "anti-state forces" and to address political opposition. While he later apologized for the decision, Yoon defended his actions and resisted calls for his resignation prior to the vote.

The court now has 180 days to determine Yoon’s political future, leaving the nation in a state of uncertainty as it awaits the outcome