On December 14, South Korea’s National Assembly approved a resolution to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol. The motion passed with 204 votes in favor out of 300 lawmakers present. The resolution cited “Violations of the Constitution and the law in declaring a state of emergency martial law” as the grounds for impeachment. Following this, a special security team was established for Acting President Han Duck-soo.
President Yoon is the third head of state in South Korea’s constitutional history to be suspended due to impeachment, following former President Roh Moo-hyun in 2004 and former President Park Geun-hye in 2016.
After the impeachment motion was passed, Yoon declared that he would not give up and urged officials to maintain the stability of government functions during his suspension from office.
In his statement, Yoon said:
“I am pausing my journey. While I stop at this moment, the journey toward the future that I have undertaken for the past 2.5 years must never halt. I will not surrender. I will take to heart your criticisms, praise, and support, and will do my utmost for the country until the very last moment.“
Advertisement
According to Sky News, during Yoon’s suspension as president, South Korea’s Constitutional Court has 180 days to decide whether to reinstate him or remove him from office. If he is removed, a nationwide election will be held within 60 days to choose a new president.
Local media reported that the Constitutional Court would convene on the morning of December 16 to discuss the schedule for the impeachment trial. The court will also set a date for public hearings, although it remains unclear if Yoon will personally appear before the court.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stated that he would do his utmost to run the government as Acting President. Acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho also urged the military to maintain operational readiness.