South Korean President Yoon’s impeachment vote fails after ruling party boycott

7 December 2024, 14:04

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol
South Korea Martial Law. Picture: PA

A survey suggested a majority of South Koreans supported the president’s impeachment.

A South Korean legislative push to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law fell through on Saturday after most members of his conservative governing party boycotted the vote.

The defeat of the motion is expected to intensify public protests calling for Mr Yoon’s ousting and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment.

Mr Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative party, but it is also determined to oppose Mr Yoon’s impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals.

People gathered outside the National Assembly
People gather outside the National Assembly during the voting for the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (Ng Han Guan/AP)

Impeaching Mr Yoon required support from two-thirds of the National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members.

The opposition parties who brought the impeachment motion had 192 seats, but only three politicians from PPP participated in the vote.

The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes did not reach 200.

Protesters stage a rally demanding South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Seoul (Yonhap via AP)

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the result “very regrettable” and an embarrassing moment for the country’s democracy that has been closely watched by the world.

“The failure to hold a qualified vote on this matter means we were not even able to exercise the democratic procedure of deciding on a critical national issue,” he said.

Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday.

After the motion fell through, members of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party rallied inside the National Assembly, chanting slogans calling for Mr Yoon’s impeachment or resignation.

Protesters stage a rally demanding South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment
Thousands of people have demanded the impeachment of the President (AP)

The party’s floor leader, Park Chan-dae, said it will soon prepare for a new impeachment motion.

“We’ll surely impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who is the greatest risk to 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.”

Despite escaping the impeachment attempt, many experts worry Mr Yoon will not be able to serve out his remaining two and a half years in office.

South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung,speaks before supporters
South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung has vowed to impeach the President (AP)

They say some ruling party legislators could eventually join opposition parties’ efforts to impeach Mr Yoon if public demands for it grow further.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people densely packed several blocks of roads leading up to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing.

Protesters also gathered in front of PPP’s headquarters near the Assembly, angrily shouting for its legislators to vote to impeach Mr Yoon.

A smaller crowd of Mr Yoon’s supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied in separate streets in Seoul, decrying the impeachment attempt they saw as unconstitutional.

By Press Association

Latest World News

See more Latest World News

Video footage shows the convoy had emergency lights flashing when it was hit

Israel admits ‘mistakenly’ killing 15 aid workers after video leak contradicted official version of events

Jaguar Land Rover has paused shipments to the US in the wake of 'Liberation Day' tariffs

Jaguar Land Rover halts shipments to US in wake of tariffs as Trump insists he'll win 'economic revolution'

Flowers and toys left on a swing seat to commemorate victims killed in Russia's missile attack on Friday

Death toll from Russian strike on Zelenskyy's home town rises as 18 confirmed dead - including nine children

Donald Trump's 10% tariff on UK products has officially come into force

Trump tariffs come into force as global stock markets plunge deeper into the red

Tom Howard

British tourist killed after being struck by boulder on trek through Himalayas

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, a car burns following a Russian missile attack that killed more than a dozen people, including children, in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

Russia kills 16 people including three children in missile strike on Zelenskyy's home town, with dozens wounded

Travel influencer Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, 24, made an illegal visit to North Sentinel Island

Tourist who left Coke for world's most isolated tribe 'could have wiped them all out' - and police 'can't go collect can'

White House weighs in to support ‘censored’ anti-abortion activists in Britain

White House looking to support ‘censored’ anti-abortion activists in Britain

This image provided by NASA shows Nick Hague, right, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore. (NASA via AP)

Stranded NASA astronauts reveal they were almost trapped in space 'forever' after horror malfunction

Donald Trump demands France 'free Marine Le Pen'

Donald Trump demands France 'free Marine Le Pen' after far-right leader found guilty of embezzlement in 'witch hunt'

China will impose a 34% retaliatory tariff on imports from the US

China announces additional 34% tariffs on US imports in retaliation over Trump's 'Liberation Day' levies

Friends of Prince Andrew say he's "unsurprised" Giuffre made the post

Prince Andrew 'not surprised' his accuser shared shock post saying she had 'four days to live'

South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol

South Korea president Yoon Suk Yeol removed from office as impeachment upheld over martial law declaration

Virginia Giuffre

Woman driving Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Giuffre during crash that left her with 'four days to live' breaks silence

Exclusive
'Donald Trump has made Putin comfortable,' Mikhail Khodorkovsky has warned

'Trump has made Putin comfortable' despite massive Ukraine war losses, exiled former oligarch tells LBC

The bodies of Andrew Searle and his wife Dawn were discovered by a neighbour.

British couple found dead in south of France home being ‘treated as murder-suicide’