South Korea’s parliament approved this Saturday the impeachment of the president, in yet another chapter of a political crisis that began last week, when the leader tried, causing outrage among the population.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, appointed by Yoon, now takes over as acting president, while the impeached president remains in office, but with his presidential powers suspended.
It will be up to the Constitutional Court to decide whether Yoon will be removed from office at some point in the next six months. If he is removed from office, an early election will be called in the country.
It was the second attempt to vote on the president’s impeachment motion. Last Saturday, the vote did not go ahead due to lack of quorum. But the support of members of the president’s own party allowed the process to take place today.
At least 12 members of the People’s Power Party joined the opposition and ensured that the motion was approved by 204 votes against 85, with 3 abstentions and 8 invalid votes. 200 votes were needed for the proposal to be accepted.
The interim president said today that he will do as much as possible to ensure stability after Yoon’s removal. “I will give all my strength and efforts to stabilize the government,” Han told reporters.
Continues after advertising
Yoon is the second consecutive conservative president to be removed from office in South Korea. Park Geun-hye was removed from office in 2017.
Protesters supporting Yoon’s impeachment jumped for joy near parliament upon hearing the news and waved colorful LED batons as music played. In contrast, a rally of Yoon supporters quickly emptied out following the news.
(Com Reuters)
