South Korea’s Parliament votes to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over martial law imposition

South Korea’s Parliament on Saturday voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, just days after he triggered a political crisis in the country by imposing the short-lived martial law.

This is the second time Yoon Suk Yeol faced the impeachment proceedings on the same issue.

Following his impeachment, he will not be able to exercise his powers until the decision is adjudicated by the country’s Constitutional Court.

Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) decided shortly before the proceeding to take part in the vote but opposed the impeachment. The result, however, showed 12 PPP lawmakers likely broke from their party line to vote in favour of impeachment, reported Yonhap News agency.

The first attempt to impeach the President failed last week when nearly all PPP lawmakers boycotted the vote.

The second impeachment motion against him was introduced on Thursday.

The impeachment resolution was sent to the Constitutional Court, which will decide whether to reinstate Yoon or remove him from office, the news agency reported.

The impeachment trial could take up to 180 days.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who will take over as the acting President, said he will try to stably manage the state affairs.

“I will give all my strength and effort to stably manage state affairs in this difficult time,” he was quoted as saying by Yonhap.

Kang Sun-woo, a lawmaker with the Democratic Party, told CNN Saturday that the “great democracy of South Korea will survive and will be born again” after the impeachment.

South Korea witnessed political instability on December 3 when Yoon Suk Yeol had imposed martial law and even sent soldiers to the parliament.

The lawmakers fought past troops to enter the parliament building and vote down the decree.

A large number of people celebrated on the streets of Seoul after the National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon Suk Yeol.

“I am relieved that some votes in favour of the motion were cast by members of the ruling People Power Party,” a citizen in his 50s told Yonhap News Agency.

“Having this many people in Daegu come out on the streets and demand impeachment means that its passage was just a matter of time, if it hadn’t been passed today,” he said.