South Korea lawmakers vote to impeach president over failed martial law bid

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, December 7, 2024. (South Korean Presidential Office/Yonhap via AP)
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, December 7, 2024. (South Korean Presidential Office/Yonhap via AP)

SEOUL (AFP) – South Korean lawmakers vote to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on allegations of insurrection over his failed martial law bid, with the opposition declaring a “victory of the people.”

The vote takes place as hundreds of thousands take to the streets of Seoul in rival rallies for and against Yoon, who launched a failed attempt to impose martial law on December 3.

With the impeachment, Yoon has been suspended from office while South Korea’s Constitutional Court deliberates on the vote. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is now the nation’s interim leader.

The court now has 180 days to rule on Yoon’s future.

The South Korean president has vowed to fight on and doubled down on unsubstantiated claims the opposition is in league with the country’s communist foes.

His approval rating — never very high — has plummeted to 11 percent, according to a Gallup Korea poll released yesterday. The same poll showed that 75 percent now support his impeachment.

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