South Korean lawmakers have voted to impeach President Yoon Suk-yul over his failed attempt to impose martial law, which sparked widespread protests across the country.
A total of 204 lawmakers supported the proposal, including some members of Yoon's People Power Party, although the decision still needs to be ratified by the Constitutional Court.
After days of public pressure, the Pakistan People's Party decided to allow its legislators to vote, after elections Efforts to impeach Yoon last week It failed when lawmakers boycotted the session.
Thousands of anti-Leon protesters celebrated outside the National Assembly on Saturday evening after the impeachment motion was passed, with the crowd singing along as fireworks went off overhead.
“To the people, we hope that the end of your year will be happier now, and that all canceled year-end celebrations will be restored,” National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik said as he announced the result.
“The future of the Republic of Korea and our hope are in the hands of the people. Our hope is strong,” said Wu, a member of the main opposition Democratic Party.
There has been strong public support for Yoon's removal, with recent opinion polls showing that three-quarters of South Koreans want him gone.
The Constitutional Court now has 180 days to decide whether Yoon should be removed or reinstated. If you decide to impeach the president, an election for the next president must be called within 60 days.
Yoon was suspended while Prime Minister Han Dak-soo took over as acting president.
However, Han and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who will be the next presidential candidate, are involved in the ongoing police investigation into last week's events.
In a statement after the vote, Yoon said he had “temporarily suspended my journey” but would “never give up.”
He said: “I will accept your criticism, praise and support at heart and will do my best for the country until the end.”
Outside the National Assembly, where tens of thousands of protesters gathered throughout the day despite the bitter cold, many spoke of their determination for Yoon to leave office permanently.
Reuters“I am very happy that the bill has been passed… At the same time, the battle is not over yet,” physiotherapist Sim Hye-seon told the BBC as she wiped away her tears.
He added, “We will have to wait for the court's ruling until the impeachment procedures are completed. We will continue to monitor.”
Two women dressed as Rudolph held signs that read: “(It would be) Merry Christmas only if Yoon Suk-yeol disappeared.”
On the other side of the city, at a pro-Lyon rally in Gwanghwamun Square, the story was different. His supporters were silent after hearing the news of the vote. Some people made angry insults before leaving the place.
The success of the vote depended on the support of the PPP, as the opposition lawmakers who introduced the motion only needed eight others to join them. Last Saturday, when the opposition first tried to unseat Yoon, it failed by only a few votes when the Pakistan People's Party withdrew.
On Saturday, the party held a marathon meeting that began at 10 a.m. and lasted until just minutes before the voting session began, as PPP lawmakers struggled to reach consensus on the party's position.
In the end, the party agreed to participate and allowed its representatives to vote in accordance with their conscience. It appears that at least 12 of them crossed the Earth. Another 85 voted against impeachment.
Getty ImagesSouth Korea has faced nearly two weeks of chaos and uncertainty since Yoon attempted to impose martial law, which did not last long, late last Tuesday.
Yoon had cited threats from “anti-state forces” and North Korea. But it soon became clear that his move was driven by his internal political problems, not external threats.
Hours later, he canceled the order after 190 deputies voted against it, many of whom climbed fences and broke barriers to reach the voting room.
He later apologized. Then on Thursday he defended his actions, saying he did so to protect democracy in the country and vowed to “fight until the end.”
The speech galvanized people, and the president's approval rating dropped to a record low of 11%, according to a Gallup Korea poll.
Impeachment is not uncharted territory for South Korea, which last impeached former President Park Geun-hye through this process in 2016.
Ironically, Yoon – who was then the prosecutor – led the investigation against Park, which ultimately led to her impeachment.
Additional reporting by Leehyun Choi, Jake Kwon and Yuna Ko in Seoul
