South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Impeached Over Martial Law Attempt

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been impeached by the National Assembly over his attempt to impose martial law, reports said on Saturday.

The unicameral National Assembly voted 204 to 85 to impeach Yoon, marking the second such vote in just eight days. Three members abstained from voting, while eight votes were declared invalid. The vote was conducted through secret ballot, with a two-thirds majority required for impeachment. All 300 members of the assembly participated.

Following the announcement of the results, audible gasps were heard in the chamber, and thousands of protesters gathered outside to cheer and applaud. However, the political crisis in South Korea is far from over, as Yoon "has vowed to fight" his case in court, Al Jazeera reported.

As a result of the impeachment, Yoon has been suspended from office while South Korea’s Constitutional Court deliberates his fate. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will serve as the interim president, vowing to "devote all my strength and efforts to ensure stable governance." The Constitutional Court has 180 days to make a final decision regarding Yoon's future.

If the court upholds the impeachment, Yoon will become the second South Korean president to be successfully impeached. In 2016, President Park Geun-hye was impeached and removed from office in March 2017.

Yoon's People Power Party (PPP) had previously boycotted the first impeachment vote last week, but PPP leader Han Dong-hoon called on party leaders to cast their votes, despite the official party stance opposing Yoon's impeachment. Ahead of the vote, at least seven PPP members indicated they would support the impeachment, signaling that only one more vote was needed to reach the 200 votes necessary for the impeachment to pass.

Yoon, who has remained unapologetic and defiant about his decision to impose martial law, is facing growing scrutiny as an investigation into his inner circle intensifies. A Gallup Korea poll released on Friday revealed that Yoon's approval rating has plummeted to 11 percent, down from 19 percent in a survey conducted in November, just before the martial law was imposed. The same poll shows that 75 percent of the public now supports his impeachment.