South Korean lawmakers on Saturday, December 14, voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed attempt to impose martial law.
The vote was passed by 204 lawmakers with 85 voting against it following protest in Seoul.
Following the vote, which sparked jubilation among protesters outside parliament, Yoon conceded that he will “stop temporarily for now, but the journey to the future that I’ve walked with the people for the past two years should not stop.”
“I will not give up,” he said in a statement shared by the country’s presidential office.
“With all the encouragement and support for me in mind, I will do my best until the last moment for the nation,” he added.
The country’s Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who will serve as acting president under South Korean law, told reporters that he would devote all his strength and effort to stable operation of state affairs.
The dramatic decision marks the culmination of a stunning political showdown after Yoon briefly declared martial law on December 3 and sent soldiers to parliament, where lawmakers fought past troops to enter the building and vote down the decree.
Yoon’s gamble backfired spectacularly, galvanizing many in the vibrant Asian democracy to call for his removal.
