The President of South Korea, Yoon, has been removed from office.

The President of South Korea, Yoon, was dismissed by a parliamentary decision on the grounds that the martial law decision he made violated the constitution.

THE MOTION ON DECEMBER 7 WAS NOT ACCEPTED

A similar impeachment motion in the National Assembly was not accepted on December 7 due to the majority of PPP lawmakers boycotting the vote and failing to reach the required number. It was reported that only 3 PPP lawmakers voted for the motion.

PPP leader Han Dong-hoon stated during a press conference earlier in the week that the opposition supported the motion demanding the removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol from office.

Han indicated that Yoon's removal by the assembly is currently the "only valid method," stating, "In the upcoming impeachment vote, our party's lawmakers should enter the assembly hall and participate in the vote according to their beliefs and consciences."

It is unclear how Han's support for the opposition's motion, as he will not be able to participate in the impeachment vote due to not being a lawmaker, will affect the party's stance. In this regard, it is the will of the lawmakers in the party group, not the leader, that is decisive.

HOW DOES THE IMPEACHMENT PROCESS WORK?

In South Korea, for a president to be removed from office, the impeachment motion submitted to the National Assembly must be approved by two-thirds of the assembly. For the removal of other politicians, a simple majority is sufficient.

After the impeachment vote, the process is transferred to the Constitutional Court. The court, which holds hearings to listen to and evaluate evidence regarding the impeachment process, has 6 months to approve or reject the impeachment. If 6 out of the 9 judges in the court approve the decision, the leader is removed from office.

In this case, a new president must be elected within 60 days. This process also applies if the president resigns.

MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION IN SOUTH KOREA

President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on the night of December 3 during a televised speech, citing "the opposition's involvement in anti-government activities," but he stepped back after the parliament voted to lift the decision, which was then approved by the Cabinet.

Yoon accused the opposition of "preventing the government from functioning," claiming that the martial law aimed to "eliminate pro-North Korea forces and protect the constitutional order of freedoms."

Following the declaration of martial law, the Ministry of Defense instructed commanders in the army to hold meetings and called for readiness. Meanwhile, it was reported that soldiers designated as "martial law troops" entered the National Assembly.

In the emergency session held in the National Assembly, the motion to lift the martial law decision was accepted with the votes of 190 lawmakers. The National Assembly Presidency Office announced that the martial law became "null and void" after the vote.

In response, Yoon convened the Cabinet and announced that he had ended the martial law after the Cabinet's approval.