South Korea’s parliament has voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol after a failed attempt to impose martial law earlier this month.
This historic decision comes after a turbulent few weeks in the country’s political scene.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will serve as acting president while the Constitutional Court deliberates on the impeachment.
The court has 180 days to decide on the motion. If the impeachment is upheld, it will lead to a snap election for a new president.
Yoon’s impeachment follows his controversial actions on December 3, when he attempted to declare martial law.
The impeachment motion passed with overwhelming support in parliament.
More than 200 lawmakers, including some from Yoon’s own People Power Party, voted for the resolution.
The final tally stood at 204 votes in favor of impeachment and 85 votes against.
The resolution means that Yoon’s powers as president will be suspended once he is officially served with the impeachment document.
Outside the National Assembly, jubilant crowds gathered to celebrate the outcome.
Protesters cheered and set up food and drink stalls in support of the impeachment effort.
“This is a triumph of democracy,” said Park Chan-dae, the opposition party floor leader, as he addressed the crowds.
Park’s words echoed the sentiment of many who had grown frustrated with Yoon’s leadership.
Many South Koreans believe that Yoon’s actions endangered the country’s democracy.
The impeachment vote came after growing opposition to Yoon’s handling of the political crisis.
Initially, some members of Yoon’s own party had resisted impeachment, hoping for an “orderly resignation.”
However, revelations about his plans for martial law made this stance impossible to maintain.
Documents leaked to opposition lawmaker Choo Mi-ae revealed disturbing details about Yoon’s martial law preparations.
These documents suggested that the plan had been in the works for over a month, long before December 3.
Military officials had even looked into medical facilities, likely in preparation for violence.
Further testimonies came from a senior counterintelligence officer who revealed that Yoon’s government had a list of politicians to arrest.
Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun, the commander of the special forces unit that stormed the National Assembly, also testified about Yoon’s direct involvement in the plans.
Kwak recalled a phone call where Yoon ordered him to stop a gathering of 150 lawmakers, a number needed to overturn martial law.
“Hurry up and break down the door and drag out anyone inside,” Kwak quoted Yoon as saying.
This was a turning point in the impeachment process, as it was clear that Yoon had abused his presidential powers to suppress opposition lawmakers.
Even under martial law, preventing the National Assembly from functioning violates South Korea’s constitution.
The constitution grants lawmakers the power to overturn a martial law declaration if they can secure a majority vote, which they did on December 4.
Despite the widespread support for impeachment, some have raised concerns about the country’s political future.
Yoon’s supporters have claimed that the impeachment process is a politically motivated attack.
They argue that Yoon’s actions were justified by the need to protect the country from what he described as “anti-state” elements in the National Assembly.
However, the majority of lawmakers and South Koreans view Yoon’s actions as an overreach of power.
The drama surrounding the impeachment has captured the attention of the international community.
The global response has largely been critical of Yoon’s attempted power grab.
Many observers see the impeachment as a clear victory for democracy in South Korea.
Yoon’s presidency has been marked by controversy, but his attempt to declare martial law has been the most dramatic.
It is now up to the Constitutional Court to determine whether his impeachment will stand.
If the court agrees with parliament’s decision, South Korea will face a snap election, potentially changing the political landscape.