South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed to “never give up” after lawmakers voted to impeach him Saturday, leaving him on the verge of being ousted after he shocked the nation by briefly imposing martial law.
The National Assembly passed the impeachment bill with 204 lawmakers in the 300-member house in favour, exceeding the two-thirds majority needed.
“While I may come to a stop for now, the journey toward the future that I have walked with the people over the past two and a half years must never be halted,” Yoon said in a statement.
The vote is the second attempt to impeach Yoon following his Dec 3 declaration of martial law — the first such move since South Korea became a democracy nearly 40 years ago. Although Yoon rescinded the order six hours later, after lawmakers raced to the National Assembly and voted down the decree, his actions rattled markets and sparked outrage across the country.
The result brought a mix of celebration and disbelief among protestors on the streets of Seoul, with some singing K-pop songs and releasing balloons into the sky. An estimated 200,000 people gathered outside parliament ahead of the vote.
“I will take to heart all the criticism, encouragement and support directed at me and do my utmost for the nation until the very end,” Yoon added.
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Yoon is now suspended from his duties, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has stepped in as interim leader until the Constitutional Court rules on the impeachment motion within 180 days. If the court agrees on his removal, an early presidential election will be held in 60 days.
In principle, at least seven judges on the court must convene to consider an impeachment case, with a minimum of six required to approve it. However, the court currently only has six judges, as three seats remain vacant. A court official said they could still proceed with the review, but it’s unclear if they can deliver a final decision under these circumstances.
“International economic partners don’t like uncertainty and diplomatic partners will remember this instability,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. “But South Korea’s democracy is working while providing cautionary lessons for other countries.”
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It’s a dramatic fall from grace for Yoon, a career prosecutor who rose to power in 2022 after winning the closest presidential race in South Korea’s history. Yoon was seen in Washington as a key ally and defender of democracy, but at home, it’s a different story.
Yoon has stepped up his attacks on the press and vowed to abolish the gender ministry, which critics say would set back efforts to close one of the world’s worst gender gaps. His ability to pass laws has been severely weakened since the opposition’s big win in the April legislative elections.
South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met with US Ambassador Philip Goldberg on Saturday and said that Seoul’s foreign policy — centred on its alliance with Washington — will stay the same under the acting president.
It’s not immediately clear how much authority Han will have as interim leader. Known as a centrist, he has served as prime minister under both conservative and liberal administrations. When asked by reporters after the vote if he plans to use the presidential veto power, he didn’t answer.
In his first cabinet meeting as acting president, Han urged officials to restore stability, strengthen military surveillance against potential North Korean provocations, and asked the economic team to review policies in preparation for the incoming Trump administration.
If the court upholds Yoon’s impeachment, the possible frontrunner to replace him would be opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who leads the Democratic Party. A recent Gallup Korea poll found that 29% of respondents favoured Lee as the next president, while 11% supported Han Dong-hoon, the head of Yoon’s ruling People Power Party.
“We must continue to fight together to ensure that swift and stern accountability and ouster of Yoon Seok Yeol is achieved in the shortest possible time,” Lee said on Saturday.
Lee’s party advocates a softer line on North Korea, more cash handouts for citizens and higher taxes on the country’s wealthiest corporations and businesses. Lee faces his own legal troubles, as a Seoul court convicted him last month of violating election laws. He has appealed the ruling.
