South Korea’s parliament votes to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol for trying to impose martial law | World news

South Korea’s parliament has voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived attempt to impose martial law earlier this month.

Mr Yoon’s decision plunged the country into a constitutional crisis as soldiers clashed with protesters on the streets of the capital, Seoul.

The state of emergency lasted only about six hours, when parliament voted to block the decree.

The president later apologized and survived a first impeachment vote after members of his People Power Party (PPP) boycotted it.

But ahead of today’s vote, seven PPP members publicly said they intended to support the impeachment, and party leader Han Dong-hoon urged them to do so.

The country’s opposition parties needed two-thirds of the National Assembly to support the motion today, meaning at least 200 MPs.

The assembly passed the second impeachment motion by a vote of 204-85.

Impeachment refers to when a public official, in this case a president, is accused of wrongdoing by a legislative body such as parliament.

After the result of today’s vote, Mr. Yoon will be suspended from the presidency while the Constitutional Court has 180 days to decide whether to reinstate him or remove him from office.

If he is thrown out of office, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has been named acting president after today’s vote.

Mr. Yoon has separately been placed under criminal investigation for alleged rebellion over the martial law declaration.

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