Extra edition newspapers with the top headline “President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment passed” are seen at Seoul Station on Saturday.

Assembly ejects Yoon from power after 12-day political turmoil

(The Korea Herald/ANN) -- The opposition-led National Assembly on Saturday approved a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of insurrection tied to his botched declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, making him the third South Korean leader to be suspended from his duties by the parliament.
With the impeachment resolution delivered to Yoon at 7:24 pm, he was suspended from office immediately. The Constitutional Court will decide whether to reinstate or formally oust him following a deliberation process that could take up to 180 days. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is to serve as the acting leader of the country in the meantime.
Han ordered Cabinet members to ensure that the result of Saturday’s vote does not “make the public anxious or lead to disorders in society,” according to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat and the Office for Government Policy Coordination. He ordered Vice Defense Minister and acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho to put the armed forces on alert to prevent “any breaches in the national defense and the public security” and the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to “prevent North Korea from making any reckless moves and maintain a solid security posture based on the US-ROK alliance.”
The acting president convened an emergency Cabinet meeting at 8 pm and asked all public officials to remain in their posts. It is crucial for South Korea “to prove to the international society” that it is a country that can “operate normally under the solid principles of democracy and the rule of law.”
After the bill was passed, Yoon released a statement vowing he would “not give up” and “do his best for the country” until the end.
The motion, which marks the second of its kind to be introduced by the opposition coalition against Yoon, passed in a 204-85 vote, with three abstentions and eight invalid votes. It met the quorum of 200 votes in the 300-member parliament during the plenary meeting that kicked off at 4 pm.
Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik lauded the outcome of the vote, saying it was a “decision brought on by the desperation, bravery and dedication for democracy portrayed by the people.”
The lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea bowed in unison at the main building of the Assembly, while stressing that “this is just the beginning” of the move to resolve the political turmoil triggered by the martial law decree.
“The passage of the impeachment motion is the glorious victory of our people,” Democratic Party Floor Leader Park Chan-dae said on behalf of his party.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update December 16, 2024)