South Korea's Yoon survives impeachment after his party boycotts vote

Lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo sits alone as the only People Power Party lawmaker to remain in the voting chamber during the plenary session for the impeachment vote of President Yoon Suk Yeol at the National Assembly in Seoul on Saturday. | POOL / VIA AFP-JIJI

Wires
December 7, 2024

SEOUL – South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol escaped impeachment Saturday over his brief declaration of martial law, after lawmakers from his ruling party boycotted a vote despite huge protests outside parliament.

Yoon stunned the nation and the international community Tuesday night by suspending civilian rule and sending troops to parliament, but was forced into an about-face after lawmakers nixed his decree.

Opposition parties proposed the impeachment motion, which needed a two-thirds majority to pass, but a near-total boycott by Yoon's People Power Party (PPP) doomed it to failure.