The National Assembly of South Korea voted on Saturday, 14 December, to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol following his botched attempt to impose martial law earlier this month.
The impeachment motion passed with 204 votes in favour, 85 against, three abstentions, and eight invalid ballots. The vote required a two-thirds majority, with all 300 members participating in a secret ballot.
Yoon had survived a previous impeachment motion last week after his ruling party members—except for three—walked out of the vote.
Yoon’s impeachment immediately suspends him from office. Interim leadership has been assumed by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as the Constitutional Court deliberates on the president’s fate.
The court has 180 days to reach a decision; if it upholds the impeachment, Yoon will become South Korea’s second president to be removed from office via this process. The first was Park Geun-hye in 2017.
The impeachment vote comes after Yoon faced widespread criticism and nationwide protests over his martial law declaration on 3 December, a move many viewed as an attack on democracy.
Yoon’s approval rating, which has consistently been low, fell further to 11% in a Gallup Korea poll released on 13 December. Just weeks earlier, a November survey recorded a 19% approval rating prior to the martial law announcement.
Controversial martial law attempt
Yoon declared martial law on 3 December, reportedly ordering arrests of opposition lawmakers and a judge.
According to Yonhap News, National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho testified during questioning that Yoon had personally instructed him to detain dissenting lawmakers.
Cho claimed Yoon contacted him six times, demanding, “round them all up,” although Cho refused to act on these instructions.
Defence Counterintelligence Commander Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung is alleged to have further directed police to monitor 15 political figures, including opposition leaders and ruling party members.
Reports also emerged of attempts to detain Judge Kim Dong-hyun, who had recently issued a favourable ruling for opposition leader Lee Jae-myung in a perjury case. This ruling reduced legal risks for Lee as a 2027 presidential candidate.
Public backlash to Yoon’s martial law declaration was immediate. Planned for 10 p.m. on 3 December, the declaration was delayed to 10:23 p.m. amid logistical and legal challenges.
The initial goal was to block the National Assembly and key institutions by 11 p.m., but the plan fell apart as legal experts and 190 opposition leaders condemned the move and stormed the National Assembly to overturn the martial law declaration.
Political fallout and public protests
The major opposition Democratic Party (DP) led calls for impeachment, urging lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) to join the vote.
DP spokeswoman Hwang Jung-a described Yoon as a “mastermind of insurrection” and accused him of breaking his promise to step back by attempting to appoint a new defence minister.
She emphasised the urgency of impeachment, saying, “We can no longer endure Yoon’s madness.”
On 14 December, tens of thousands of South Koreans held rallies nationwide demanding Yoon’s immediate resignation.
Demonstrations spanned major cities, including Seoul, Busan, and Daegu, with organisers estimating a turnout of one million, though police placed the figure closer to 145,000.
Even traditionally conservative regions like South and North Gyeongsang provinces saw protests, highlighting the breadth of public discontent.
PPP leader Han Dong-hoon had earlier urged party members to support the impeachment motion, arguing that suspending Yoon was necessary to address the crisis.
However, the party remains divided, with some members still loyal to the embattled president.
As the Constitutional Court reviews Yoon’s case, the country faces uncertainty. If the court removes Yoon from office, a by-election will be held to elect a new president.
