South Korea's Yoon Impeached in Second Vote Over Martial Law; Prime Minister Han Becomes Acting President

Dec 14, 2024, 04:38 PM

South Korea's parliament has impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol over his short-lived declaration of martial law on December 3. The National Assembly passed the impeachment motion on December 14, 2024, in a second vote after a previous attempt lacked quorum. Yoon's martial law declaration, which lasted less than six hours, triggered widespread protests, and massive celebrations erupted in Seoul following the impeachment. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will serve as acting president while the Constitutional Court, which has up to 180 days to decide, reviews the impeachment. Yoon stated he would 'step aside' after the vote.