South Korean lawmakers have impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol following his controversial attempt to impose martial law, which has plunged the country into political turmoil.
The opposition celebrated Saturday’s impeachment vote as a landmark moment, with leaders declaring it a “victory of the people.”
The dramatic decision came as rival demonstrations unfolded across Seoul, drawing hundreds of thousands of protesters. Supporters and critics of Yoon clashed in their calls for justice, underscoring the deep divisions in public opinion. The National Assembly’s vote saw 204 lawmakers favouring impeachment on insurrection charges, surpassing the 200 votes required for the motion to pass. Eighty-five lawmakers opposed the move, while three abstained, and eight votes were nullified.
As a result of the impeachment, Yoon is suspended from his duties while South Korea’s Constitutional Court reviews the case. The court has 180 days to decide whether to uphold the impeachment or reinstate the president. In the meantime, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will serve as the country’s interim leader.
The impeachment marks a significant setback for Yoon, whose attempt to impose martial law on December 3 was widely condemned as an assault on South Korea’s democratic principles. Opposition lawmakers, led by the Democratic Party, accused him of endangering the Constitution and undermining the rule of law. The vote required bipartisan support, forcing opposition members to secure backing from at least eight lawmakers in Yoon’s conservative People Power Party (PPP).
Following the vote, Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae described the impeachment as a triumph for democracy. “Today’s impeachment is the great victory of the people,” he said, addressing crowds gathered outside parliament. Police estimated that at least 200,000 demonstrators had assembled near the National Assembly in freezing temperatures to support Yoon’s removal, chanting slogans and waving banners.
In contrast, a minor rally of about 30,000 Yoon supporters gathered near Gwanghwamun Square, waving South Korean and American flags and playing patriotic songs.
Yoon’s supporters denounced the impeachment as politically motivated, while the president himself remained defiant, accusing the opposition of colluding with communist forces to destabilise his administration.
The political crisis has drawn widespread public attention, with opposition leaders asserting that impeachment was the only way to preserve democracy and ensure a stable future for South Korea.
“We can no longer endure Yoon’s madness,” said Hwang Jung-a, a Democratic Party spokeswoman.
Protests supporting impeachment reflected citizens’ determination to hold the president accountable. Volunteers distributed coffee, snacks, and hand warmers at the National Assembly rally to attendees enduring sub-zero temperatures.
Among the supporters was K-pop singer Yuri of Girls’ Generation, who pre-paid for food for demonstrators and urged them to “stay safe and take care of your health.”
The impeachment is not without precedent in South Korea’s turbulent political history. If upheld, Yoon would become the second South Korean president permanently removed from office, following Park Geun-hye in 2017.
However, the Constitutional Court could overturn the decision, as it did in 2004 when then-president Roh Moo-hyun was reinstated after his impeachment was blocked.
The court’s current composition of six judges requires a unanimous decision to finalise Yoon’s removal, creating a potentially high legal threshold for his ouster.
As investigations into Yoon’s inner circle intensify and his approval ratings plummet to an all-time low of 11%, the president faces mounting challenges to his political survival. His martial law bid has alienated many South Koreans, leaving his administration in crisis.
The coming months will be critical as the Constitutional Court deliberates the fate of a leader whose brief tenure has been marked by controversy and division. Whatever the outcome, the decision will have lasting implications for South Korea’s democratic institutions and political stability.
