On December 14, South Korea’s National Assembly passed a resolution to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol. The motion passed with 204 votes in favor out of 300 deputies present. The resolution cited “violations of the Constitution and law in declaring a state of martial law emergency” as grounds for impeachment. Subsequently, 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 passage of the impeachment motion, 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’m putting my journey on hold. Even if I stop at this moment, the journey towards the future that I have been on for the last two and a half years must never stop. I won’t give up. I will take your criticism, praise and support to heart and do my best for the country until the last moment.“
According to Sky News, during Yoon’s suspension as president, South Korea’s Constitutional Court has 180 days to decide whether to reinstate or remove him from office. If he is removed, national elections to choose a new president will be held within 60 days.
Local media reported that the Constitutional Court will meet on the morning of December 16 to discuss the timetable for the impeachment trial. The court will also set a date for public hearings, although it is unclear whether Yoon will personally appear before the court.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said he would do everything possible to lead the government as acting president. Acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho also urged the military to maintain operational readiness.
