South Korean parliament supports president's impeachment – media

South Korea's National Assembly voted on Saturday, 14 December, to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol.

Source: South Korean agency Yonhap News

Details: 204 lawmakers supported the impeachment, and 85 opposed it. Three more abstained, and eight votes were invalidated.

The National Assembly of South Korea, the country's sole legislative body, has 300 members.

Background:

• South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law in the country on 3 December. In a live televised address to the nation on Tuesday, Yoon said the measure was necessary to protect the country from "communist forces". Yoon did not name a specific threat from the nuclear-armed North Korea and focused on his domestic political opponents. 
• The National Assembly of South Korea voted on 4 December to demand that President Yoon rescind the declaration of martial law. After this, Yoon Suk-yeol announced that martial law in the country would be lifted at a government meeting.
• The opposition Democratic Party of South Korea planned to accuse President Yoon Suk-yeol of high treason and launch impeachment proceedings.
• The leader of South Korea's ruling party said on 6 December that Yoon should be immediately removed from office, adding that Yoon had ordered the arrest of prominent politicians during his martial law, which was later lifted.
• In an address on 7 December, the South Korean president said he "sincerely sorry" for causing public concern by declaring martial law and promised not to make it again.
• On the same day, the South Korean parliament did not vote to impeach Yoon, while the leader of the ruling party said that the president would resign.

Support UP or become our patron!