South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been impeached by the nation’s National Assembly on the third try after declaring martial law in his country.
President Yoon’s declaration of martial law, which he said was due to the opposition paralyzing the country, rattled South Korea’s financial markets and caused panic among the civilian populace.
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Martial law was only ended after a group of opposition lawmakers gathered in their Parliament, with soldiers headed to their position, and voted to end it. The enactment of martial law was the first such instance in more than 40 years.
Protesters celebrated Yoon’s impeachment, which will suspend him from office and direct Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to take his position in the interim.
“This is the happiest moment of my life,” Kim Myoung-sook, a 60-year-old Seoul resident, told the New York Times. “Martial law is a declaration of war on the people, and I was so depressed over the past week.”
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The opposition floor leader, Park Chan-dae, said the impeachment was a “victory for the South Korean people and for democracy.”
#breaking Crowds outside South Korea’s National Assembly moments after lawmakers voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol. Yoon is suspended from office pending a Constitutional Court ruling. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will serve as acting president. (📹 Eunseo Jeong for CNN) pic.twitter.com/yP0fSSG4xL
— Will Ripley (@willripleyCNN) December 14, 2024
Twelve lawmakers from Yoon’s party voted to impeach him, exciting the National Assembly members with the successful gambit.
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Yoon said he would fight the impeachment in Constitutional Court, a process that will decide whether he’s reinstated or formally removed. “I will never give up,” he said shortly after the vote.
Yoon’s replacement, Han, said, “I will focus all my strength and effort on stably running the affairs of the state.” He was appointed by Yoon in 2022.
U.S. Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg reiterated that the relationship between the United States and South Korea will be unchanged following Yoon’s impeachment.
“Our commitment to peace and security on the Peninsula and in the region is unwavering,” he said in a post on X. “Foreign Minister Cho and I reaffirmed that our Alliance is and will remain ironclad. We will continue to be in close contact with the government as the democratic process continues in accordance with the constitution.”
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Yoon’s declaration of martial law was one of the most vulnerable moments for the country in years with many accusing him of trying to incite a coup. But for his opponents, the fight isn’t over yet.
We’ve only just overcome a small mountain,” opposition leader Lee Jae-myung told the protesters. “There is a larger, steeper mountain ahead.”
