The President of South Korea Yun Suk Yeol has been impeached by the South Korean Parliament with 300 lawmakers, 204 voted in favor of impeachment on charges of insurrection, while 85 voted against it. Three lawmakers abstained, and eight votes were nullified. Suk Yeol had attempted to impose a martial law in his country and the attempt had failed with the majority of the Parliament voting against it.
The impeachment had been attempted by the President on a suspected whim and had been opposed by members of his on party voted against it. The impeachment motion, which required a two-thirds majority to pass, alleged that Yoon committed insurrection by staging a series of riots and threatening the National Assembly and the public.
Yoon’s presidential powers and duties have now been suspended, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has taken over as interim president. The Constitutional Court will now deliberate on whether to uphold Yoon’s removal, with a decision expected within 180 days. If the court rules against Yoon, he would become the second president in South Korean history to be successfully impeached, triggering a presidential election within 60 days.
Yoon’s attempt to impose martial law on December 3 was widely criticized, with opposition parties and experts accusing him of rebellion. The president had cited the need to eradicate domestic political support for North Korea as one of the reasons for his decision. However, his actions were seen as a high-risk gamble that has left the nation vulnerable to security threats.
Yoon’s martial law imposition, the first of kind in more than four decades in South Korea, lasted only six hours, but has caused massive political tumult, halted diplomatic activities and rattled financial markets. Yoon was forced to lift his decree after parliament unanimously voted to overturn it.
Yoon’s approval ratings plummeting to a record low of 11%. As large demonstrations have been held across Seoul, with protesters calling for Yoon’s ouster and arrest. The metropolitan government has deployed 1,000 safety personnel to maintain order.
The fallout from Yoon’s actions has been severe, with the nation’s former defense minister now under arrest and several leading military officials under investigation. The situation has sparked concerns about the state of democracy in the country while also bringing into question the internal security issue this move will cause. South Korea has a volatile border with North Korea and this instability may create further larger issue in the Korean peninsula.