South Korea's Yoon Suk-yeol Impeachment Passes with 204 Votes in Favor, 85 Against | WPN World People News

South Korean Parliament Approves Impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol with 204 Votes in Favor, 85 Against

On the afternoon of December 14 (Saturday), the South Korean National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol with 204 votes in favor and 85 against. President Yoon's position will now be suspended until the Constitutional Court delivers its final ruling. However, some observers believe the political instability in South Korea may not subside in the short term.

Earlier this month, on December 3, President Yoon unexpectedly declared martial law under the pretext of combating anti-state forces, aiming to overcome opposition party resistance. However, facing a strong public backlash and an emergency parliamentary resolution that overturned the martial law decree, Yoon was forced to rescind it just six hours later.

Subsequently, the opposition-led National Assembly initiated an impeachment motion against Yoon. While the ruling People Power Party initially managed to block the first impeachment attempt through procedural tactics, the opposition party launched a second attempt, gaining support from several dissenting members of Yoon's own party. This led to the successful passage of the impeachment motion, which now awaits a decision from the Constitutional Court.

In a statement following the impeachment vote, President Yoon said, "With all the encouragement and support I have received, I will dedicate myself to serving the nation until the very last moment." Following the impeachment, Yoon's powers will be suspended, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will serve as acting president. Han pledged to maintain government stability and strengthen vigilance against North Korea to address any potential threats.

The Constitutional Court will now deliberate on the impeachment. If it rejects the motion, Yoon can resume his duties as president. However, if it upholds the impeachment, Yoon will be removed from office, triggering a presidential election within 60 days. Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae announced that the court would convene on December 16 (Monday) to discuss the case timeline and assured that the proceedings would be conducted "swiftly and fairly."

If the Constitutional Court upholds the impeachment, Yoon Suk-yeol will become the second South Korean president to be removed from office through impeachment, following Park Geun-hye, the nation's first female president.