South Korea parliament votes to impeach president over declaration of martial law

By Josh Smith and Ju-min Park, Reuters

A television screen shows South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol announcing the lifting of martial law, in Seoul, South Korea on December 4, 2024, hours after Yoon imposed it. Photo: YONHAP / AFP

• Short-lived martial law shocked nation
• Yoon apologised but later defended move as protecting democracy
• 204 lawmakers supported impeachment

South Korea's opposition-led parliament impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday, voting to suspend him from his official duties over his short-lived attempt last week to impose martial law.

Under the constitution Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who was appointed by Yoon, becomes acting president.

Yoon is the second conservative president in a row to be impeached in South Korea. Park Geun-hye was removed from office in 2017.

The motion was carried after some members of Yoon's People Power Party joined the opposition parties, which control 192 seats in the 300-member national assembly, clearing the two-thirds threshold needed for impeachment. The number of lawmakers supporting impeachment was 204, with 85 against, three abstentions and eight invalid ballots.

Although suspended, Yoon remains in office. The Constitutional Court will decide whether to remove him sometime in the next six months.

If Yoon is removed from office, a snap election will be called.

Yoon shocked the nation late on 3 December when he gave the military sweeping emergency powers in order to root out what he called "anti-state forces" and overcome obstructionist political opponents.

He later apologised to the nation but also defended his decision and resisted calls to resign ahead of the vote.

- Reuters