In a historic move, South Korea's National Assembly voted to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol on Saturday amid allegations of insurrection tied to a controversial attempt to impose martial law. The motion passed with 204 votes – just over the required 200 – plunging the nation into uncharted political waters.
🇰🇷 'I must step aside for a while,' Yoon said in a televised address, urging an end to 'politics of excess.' His suspension marks a dramatic fall from power following December's failed martial law proposal, which triggered mass protests across Seoul.
Streets transformed into battlegrounds this week as crowds rallied both for and against the embattled leader. The impeachment process gained momentum after initial delays caused by boycotts from Yoon's ruling People Power Party (PPP).
🤝 Opposition leader Park Chan-dae called the vote a 'victory of the people,' while Prime Minister Han Duck-soo prepares to serve as interim leader. Yoon’s fate now rests with South Korea’s Constitutional Court, which has 180 days to decide whether to confirm the impeachment – potentially making him the country’s second ousted president.
⚡ Why it matters: This crisis highlights South Korea's razor-thin political margins. The opposition needed just eight PPP lawmakers to flip sides, revealing deep fractures in the conservative bloc. With economic challenges looming and global alliances in play, Asia’s fourth-largest economy faces critical months ahead.
