‘Great victory of people’: South Korean President impeached over martial law bid
South Korea’s National Assembly voted on Saturday to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, suspending him from office amid a political crisis over his controversial attempt to impose martial law in the country.
“Today’s impeachment is the great victory of the people,” opposition Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae said following the vote.
The impeachment motion, passed with 204 lawmakers in favour, took place as tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the parliament building in Seoul, waving banners and chanting slogans to demand Yoon’s removal.
With Yoon (63) suspended from office, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will assume the role of acting president. Now, South Korea’s Constitutional Court will deliberate on Yoon’s future, and hand down a ruling within 180 days.
If the court backs his removal, Yoon would become the second president in South Korean history to be successfully impeached. A presidential election must be held within 60 days of his ouster.
As news of Yoon’s impeachment emerged, the sea of protesters in front of the National Assembly erupted into celebrations, jubilation on their faces. Blasting K-pop songs, they danced and sang; many shed tears of joy, while others expressed relief.
“Isn’t it amazing that we, the people, have pulled this off together?” protester Choi Jung-ha, 52, told AFP.
Last week, Yoon survived an impeachment vote after most lawmakers of his conservative People Power Party boycotted proceedings. He has remained defiant and clung to power, despite mounting calls for him to step down after his failed martial law bid.
An embattled Yoon had vowed to fight “until the very last minute” and doubled down on unsubstantiated claims the South Korean opposition is in league with the country’s communist foes.
Ahead of Saturday’s vote, opposition Democratic Party said that an impeachment motion was the “only way” to “safeguard the Constitution, the rule of law, democracy and South Korea’s future”.
“We can no longer endure Yoon’s madness,” spokeswoman Hwang Jung-a said.
SURPRISE MARTIAL LAW DECREE AND FALLOUT
In a surprise announcement on the night of December 3, President Yoon declared martial law in South Korea, saying the opposition-controlled parliament has become a “den of criminals” paralysing government affairs. According to him, it was necessary to declare martial law to remove pro-communist forces and to maintain constitutional law and order.
Yoon called in troops to secure the National Assembly building, even as thousands of South Koreans streamed into the streets calling for him to resign and martial law to be lifted.
Though no blood was shed, the subsequent hours were tense with cameras capturing the moments of anger, bravery and defiance from citizens and lawmakers alike.
The martial law imposition, the first of its kind in more than four decades in South Korea, lasted only six hours, as Yoon was forced to lift his decree after parliament unanimously voted to overturn it.
Though short-lived, it caused massive political tumult, halted diplomatic activities and rattled financial markets.
Yoon has separately been placed under criminal probe for alleged insurrection over the martial law declaration. Earlier this week, police raided the presidential office amid a deepening investigation into his inner circle.
With inputs from Agencies
