President of South Korea Yun Suk-yeol. Photo: Getty images
On 14 December, the National Assembly of South Korea decided to impeach President Yun Seok-yol. According to Yonhap, this was the result of the unsuccessful introduction of martial law, which caused a serious political crisis in the country.
204 MPs voted in favour of the impeachment, 85 voted against. Three more MPs abstained, and eight ballots were declared invalid.
Yun Seok-yol had previously tried to justify his actions, saying that the decision to impose martial law was a “well-considered political move”. He also rejected accusations of coup by the opposition.
Preconditions of the political crisis
The martial law declared by the president has caused outrage among citizens and political leaders alike. Opponents of the president argue that his decision was ill-considered and has increased tensions in the country instead of stabilising the situation.
The impeachment of Yun Seok-yeol was the second in South Korea’s history. The previous case took place in 2017, when President Park Geun-hye was removed due to a corruption scandal.
What’s next?
After the parliamentary vote, the impeachment decision must be approved by the Constitutional Court. If the court upholds the National Assembly’s decision, Yun Seok-yeol will be permanently removed from office and the country will have an interim president until early elections are held.
This event could have serious consequences for the political stability of South Korea, which is already facing challenges amid economic problems and regional tensions.
