South Korea’s impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, announced on Saturday that he would “step aside” following a parliamentary vote to remove him from office.
In a televised address, Yoon called for an end to “politics of excess and confrontation,” stating, “Though I must now step aside for a while, the journey toward the future… must never come to a stop.”
The impeachment came after South Korean lawmakers voted to remove Yoon over his failed attempt to impose martial law on December 3. The opposition hailed the vote as a “victory of the people.” The vote took place as large protests unfolded in Seoul, with hundreds of thousands of people gathering in rival rallies for and against Yoon.
Of the 300 lawmakers, 204 voted in favor of impeachment, citing allegations of insurrection, while 85 voted against it. Three lawmakers abstained, and eight votes were nullified. As a result, Yoon has been suspended from office while South Korea’s Constitutional Court reviews the decision. The court has up to 180 days to issue a ruling on his future.
