Seoul, South Korea – South Korean parliament on Saturday suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol from office after it passed an impeachment motion over the short-lived martial law.

Some 204 lawmakers voted in favour of impeachment, surpassing the minimum threshold of 200 votes in the 300-seat parliament, according to a parliament statement.

This was the second impeachment motion brought by a bloc of six opposition parties against Yoon after he survived the first one last week.

Under the South Korean constitution, incumbent Prime Minister Han Duck Soo will take charge from Yoon until the Constitutional Court decides Yoon’s removal is justified.

The court will hold a trial of events that led to the impeachment and decide if Yoon should be removed. It may take up to six months but if the court confirms Yoon is impeached, presidential elections must be held within 60 days.

In case, Yoon chooses to resign, it will trigger presidential elections within the next two months.

The motion brought by an opposition bloc of 192 lawmakers needed the support of at least eight lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party which has 108 lawmakers.

All 300 lawmakers participated in the session, and the successful impeachment motion showed at least 12 ruling party lawmakers supporting it. At least eight votes were declared invalid while three abstained.

It was the third successful impeachment motion in South Korea’s constitutional history.

The motion was triggered after Yoon in a shocking decision imposed martial law on the night of December 3 which was lifted within six hours after 190 lawmakers rushed to parliament that night to reject the president’s decision.

The 63-year-old leader’s move has opened a wide probe including against Yoon himself who has become the first sitting president to face charges of treason and insurrection as well as a travel ban.

Yoon was elected in 2022 for a five-year term until 2027 but his administration has been rendered toothless after the main opposition Democratic Party won the majority in parliamentary polls held in April this year.

‘Victory for the people’

The opposition Democratic Party has celebrated after the successful motion to impeach Yoon.

“Today’s impeachment is the great victory of the people,” Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae said following the vote.

Parliament speaker Woo Won Shik urged the government and parliament to work together to stabilise the economy and foreign affairs.

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok will convene an emergency meeting on the economy on Sunday.

Earlier, Yoon’s party PPP held internal meetings with party chief Han Dong-hoon and floor leader Kweon Seong-dong.

Party member Cho Kyung-tae told the media that members were in favour of participating in the vote, but remained divided on whether to vote for or against the impeachment motion.

“There is a stark difference in stance between those who approve and those who disapprove,” Cho said.

Protests in Seoul

Meanwhile, thousands of people gathered in South Korea’s capital and demonstrated hours ahead of an impeachment vote against President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The protests demanding Yoon’s removal began around midday outside the National Assembly.

A Seoul police official told the AFP news agency that they expected at least 200,000 people to demonstrate in support of removing him.

“If Yoon isn’t impeached today, I’ll return next week,” one protester told AFP.

However, Seoul also saw people gathering in support of Yoon. Near Gwanghwamun Square, thousands rallied in support of Yoon, singing patriotic songs and waving South Korean and American flags.

“Yoon had no choice but to declare martial law. I approve of every decision he has made as president,” said a pro-Yoon demonstrator.

Agencies