The South Korean National Assembly failed to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol after conservative members walked out ahead of the vote.
The conservative president declared martial law on Tuesday after struggling against an opposition party in control of the country’s legislature for much of his term. He claimed the declaration was a way to “protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces.”
That declaration was unanimously voted down by the parliament the next day. Military forces that had stormed the South Korean parliament building stood down after lawmakers reversed Yoon’s declaration of martial law. Earlier on Saturday, Yoon apologized for his declaration. He promised to take responsibility for his actions and left “matters related to [his] term in office” up to his party.
200 members of South Korea’s 300-member assembly would have needed to support Yoon’s impeachment. Though Yoon’s opposition controls the legislature, they would have needed at least eight members of Yoon’s People Power Party to approve the motion to impeach. PPP members boycotted the vote instead, denying a necessary two-thirds majority.
“The South Korean people were watching our decision today. Nations around the world were watching us,” speaker Woo Won-shik said at the close of the session, per the New York Times. “It is utterly unfortunate that the vote effectively didn’t occur.”
The lack of a vote will likely intensify growing protests to remove Yoon from office. Democratic Party leaders seemed committed to attempting a second impeachment vote before the end of the year.
“We’ll surely impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who is the greatest risk to the Republic of Korea,” party leader Lee Jae-myung said. “We’ll surely bring back this country to normal before Christmas Day or year’s end.”
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