Due to his brief attempt to impose martial law last week, South Korea’s opposition-led parliament voted to suspend President Yoon Suk Yeol from his official duties and impeach him on Saturday.
The constitution designates Yoon’s appointed Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as acting president.
Yoon is the second consecutive conservative South Korean president to face impeachment. In 2017, Park Geun-hye left her position.
Yoon’s People Power Party members joined the opposition parties, which hold 192 seats in the 300-member national assembly, and this led to the approval of the motion, meeting the two-thirds majority required for impeachment.
Three lawmakers abstained, eight ballots were deemed invalid, 204 lawmakers supported impeachment, and 85 opposed it.
Despite his suspension, Yoon continues to serve. Within six months, the Constitutional Court will make a decision on his removal.
If Yoon loses his position, there will be a snap election.
In an unexpected move late on December 3, Yoon granted the military broad emergency powers to crush “anti-state forces” and defeat political opponents who were obstructing the process.
He defended his choice and rejected calls to step down before the vote, but he later expressed regret to the country.
