South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been impeached by lawmakers following allegations of attempting to impose martial law earlier this month.
The historic vote, held on Saturday, saw 204 out of 300 lawmakers voting in favor of impeachment, while 85 opposed, three abstained, and eight votes were nullified.
The impeachment has temporarily removed Yoon from office, with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stepping in as interim leader.
The country’s Constitutional Court now has 180 days to deliberate on the impeachment.
If upheld, Yoon would become the second president in South Korean history to be removed from office through impeachment.
The decision comes amid heightened tensions, with hundreds of thousands of citizens taking to the streets of Seoul in rival rallies both supporting and opposing Yoon.
The controversial martial law bid on December 3, which ultimately failed, formed the crux of the insurrection allegations against the president.
The Constitutional Court’s ruling is now eagerly awaited, as it will determine Yoon’s political fate and the future trajectory of South Korea’s leadership.
