South Korea’s parliament voted to impeach Yoon Suk-yeol for trying to impose martial law

South Korean lawmakers have voted to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol over his failed attempt to impose martial law that sparked mass protests across the country.

A total of 204 MPs supported the motion, including some from Yun’s People’s Power Party (PPP), although the decision still needs to be ratified by the Constitutional Court.

After days of public pressure, the PPP decided to allow its lawmakers to vote afterwards Yoon’s impeachment attempt last week failed when his lawmakers boycotted the hearings.

Thousands of anti-Yun protesters celebrated outside the National Assembly on Saturday night after the impeachment motion was passed, with the crowd singing as fireworks went off overhead.

“For the people, we hope that your year-end will now be a bit happier and all your canceled year-end celebrations will be resumed,” National Assembly Speaker Wu Wonshik said as he announced the results.

“The future of the Republic of Korea and our hope is in the hands of the people, our hope is strong,” said Woo, a member of the main opposition Democratic Party.

Yun’s impeachment has been strongly supported by the public, with recent polls showing that three-quarters of South Koreans want him gone.

The Constitutional Court now has 180 days to decide whether Yoon should be impeached or reinstated. If he rules on impeachment, elections for the next president must be called within 60 days.

Yoon was removed from office and Prime Minister Han Dak-soo took over as acting president.

However, Khan and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who is next in line for the presidency, are both involved in a police investigation into last week’s events.

In a statement after the vote, Yun said he was “temporarily ending his journey” but that he would “never give up.”

“I will take your criticism, praise and support to heart and do everything for the country to the end,” he said.

Outside the National Assembly, where tens of thousands of protesters gathered throughout the day despite the bitter cold, many spoke of their determination to see Yun leave office for good.

“I am very happy that the bill has been passed… At the same time, the fight is not over,” physiotherapist Sim Hee-sung told the BBC, wiping away tears.

“We will have to wait for the court’s decision on his impeachment. We will continue to monitor.”

Two women dressed in Rudolph costumes held signs reading, “(It will be) a merry Christmas, only if Yoon Seok Yul disappears.”

Across town, it was a different story at a rally in support of Yun at Gwanghwamun Square. His supporters fell silent upon hearing the news of the vote. Before leaving the scene, some people shouted angry insults.

The success of the vote depended on support from the PPP, as opposition lawmakers who tabled the motion needed only eight people to join them. Last Saturday, when the opposition first tried to impeach Yun, it fell just a few votes short when the PNP staged a walkout.

On Saturday, the party held a marathon meeting that started at 10 a.m. and continued just minutes before the start of the voting session as PPP lawmakers tried to reach a consensus on the party’s position.

In the end, the party agreed to participate and allowed its MPs to vote their conscience. It turned out that at least 12 of them crossed the floor. Another 85 voted against impeachment.

South Korea has faced nearly two weeks of chaos and uncertainty since Yun’s short-lived attempt to impose martial law late last Tuesday.

Yoon cited threats from “anti-state forces” and North Korea. But it soon became clear that his move was prompted by his own domestic political problems rather than external threats.

Hours later, he revoked the order after 190 MPs voted against him, many of them climbing fences and breaking barricades to get to the voting booth.

He later apologized. He then defended his actions on Thursday, saying he did it to protect the country’s democracy and vowed to “fight to the end”.

The speech galvanized people, and the president’s approval rating dropped to a record low of 11%, according to a Gallup Korea poll.

Presidential impeachment is not uncharted territory for South Korea, which last removed former president Park Geun-hye through the process in 2016.

Ironically, Yoon – then a prosecutor – led the investigation against Park that eventually led to her impeachment.

Additional reporting by Lihyun Choi, Jake Kwon and Yoon Koo in Seoul