Yoon Suk Yeol survives impeachment vote after boycott by ruling party MPs

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has survived an impeachment motion in the opposition-led parliament after members of his party boycotted the vote.

Only 195 votes were cast, below the threshold of 200 needed for the vote to count.

“The entire nation is watching the decision being made here at the National Assembly today. World is watching,” National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik said. “It’s very unfortunate that there wasn’t even a vote.”

Yoon addressed the nation on Saturday morning to apologise for the “anxiety” caused by his attempt to impose martial law.

Some had expected him to use the brief TV appearance to resign from office but he stopped short of doing so, saying he would leave it up to his party to decide on his political future.

The crisis in South Korea exploded late on Tuesday when Yoon declared he was imposing martial law, leading MPs to rush to parliament to stage a vote against it. Some climbed over walls and pushed past soldiers in order to cast their vote. The order was lifted by Cabinet before dawn on Wednesday.

Key Points

What do we know about investigations faced by South Korean President Yoon?

13:02 , Jabed Ahmed

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, several cabinet ministers, military commanders and police officials face criminal investigations over his botched attempt to impose martial law.

Prosecutors, the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials have all launched probes into Yoon and the officials, seeking to pursue charges of insurrection and abuse of power, among others.

The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office has created a special investigation bureau to examine the case for the first time since it probed a 2016 corruption scandal engulfing then-President Park Geun-hye, who was impeached and eventually ousted, the Yonhap news agency reported on Friday.

The defence ministry said military prosecutors would also be dispatched to that team, and Yonhap said it would include more than a dozen investigators.

The officials face potential charges of insurrection, abuse of authority and obstructing other people from exercising their rights.

If convicted, the crime of leading an insurrection is punishable by death or life imprisonment, with or without prison labour.

South Korea opposition says it will try again to impeach Yoon again

13:01 , Jabed Ahmed

South Korea‘s main opposition Democratic Party said it would not give up its attempt to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol after losing a parliamentary vote.

But Yoon’s People Power Party said it would find a “more orderly, responsible” way to resolve the crisis than the impeachment of the president.

South Korea’s Yoon survives martial law impeachment move after his party boycotts vote

12:56 , Jabed Ahmed

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol survived an impeachment motion in the opposition-led parliament after members of his party boycotted the vote.

Only 195 votes were cast, below the threshold of 200 needed for the vote to count.

“The entire nation is watching the decision being made here at the National Assembly today. World is watching,” National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik said with a sigh. “It’s very unfortunate that there wasn’t even a vote.”

Watch live: South Korean lawmakers vote on impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol

12:30 , Shahana Yasmin

Who will take over if President Yoon is impeached?

12:15 , Shahana Yasmin

If president Yoon Suk Yeol is impeached, prime minister Han Duck Soo will take over the presidential responsibilities as interim president.

Han, 75, was appointed by Yoon as prime minister in 2022 after he won the presidential election.

South Korea will then need to hold a presidential election within 60 days.

South Korea has previously seen two presidents being impeached since it became a democracy. Park Geun Hye was removed from office over corruption charges in 2017, and Roh Moo Hyun was impeached in March 2004, a vote that was later overturned by the courts in May 2004.

Who is Yoon Suk Yeol, the South Korean president who declared martial law?

12:00 , Shahana Yasmin

South Korea is in turmoil after president Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday night, only to revoke it hours later under immense pressure.

Mr Yoon, who narrowly won the presidency in 2022, has been facing mounting unpopularity since taking office. Already weakened by a crushing parliamentary election defeat for his party earlier this year, his approval ratings had plummeted to 17 per cent before this week’s events.

The chaos on Tuesday night began when Mr Yoon justified his martial law declaration citing threats from North Korea and the need to eliminate “anti-state elements”.

Who is Yoon Suk Yeol, the South Korean president who declared martial law?

PPP spokesperson responds to reports lawmakers being prevented from voting

11:30 , Shahana Yasmin

Shin Dong Wook, a spokesperson for the PPP, addressed rumours that lawmakers are being prevented from voting in the impeachment motion.

“The DP (Democratic Party) is spreading fake news that the PPP is locking lawmakers up so they can’t go and vote but we have not blocked anyone from voting,” he said.

“We are just waiting for the voting process to end.

“And you have already witnessed some lawmakers coming to vote, based on their own preferences. It all depends on their personal will. It is fake news that we are physically preventing them from going.”

Ruling party member says he changed his mind because impeachment could lead to ‘early election’

11:20 , Shahana Yasmin

PPP member Cho Kyung Tae, who initially said he would support the impeachment motion against the president, said he changed his mind since it could lead to an early election.

“I was determined to agree to the impeachment bill until yesterday, because there was no word from the president’s office nor public apology for martial law or any follow-up measures,” Yoon told BBC Korean. “However, I heard that he was announcing an apology to the public today.”

“Most members of the National Assembly acknowledge that the president’s declaration of martial law was an incorrect and wrong action,” he said. “However, there is concern that if impeachment is used as a means to address the president’s wrongdoings, it will lead to an early presidential election.”

Protests continue outside National Assembly

11:04 , Shahana Yasmin

PPP member Kim Sang Wook says he voted ‘no’ in the motion to impeach

10:55 , Shahana Yasmin

Kim Sang Wook, who returned to the chamber to vote, addressed the public and said that while he did not believe president Yoon Suk Yeol is qualified to lead, he voted against the motion to impeach since it was the party’s decision, reported Korea Joongang Daily.

“This does not mean that I accept Yoon, who has messed up the Constitutional order,” he said.

“This National Assembly is where citizens and public opinions are gathered. But armed soldiers came here, so this is a different issue to the Park Geun Hye case. It is not a healthy democracy if we act like the country will fall apart if someone from the opposing party takes office.

“It has not been a year since I started my career in politics. But I’m satisfied if I can stop martial law and start a new kind of politics. I made up my mind despite knowing that I might be called a traitor.

“I really hope that this chaos becomes the cornerstone for a healthier political ecosystem to be established.

“I thought it was my duty as a lawmaker to vote, whether it is for or against the bill, even if that means losing everything.

“I voted against impeachment, following the party’s decision. But if the president does not take rightful action until the next vote takes place, I will vote for impeachment.”

Speaker asks ruling party members again to return

10:52 , Shahana Yasmin

National Assembly speaker Woo Won Shik made another statement asking PPP lawmakers to return and vote in the motion to impeach president Yoon Suk Yeol.

“The eyes of the South Korean people are on us, and people around the world are watching us too,” he said.

“I am not telling you to vote for or against impeachment, but I implore you to come back and vote, for the sake of the future of the Republic of Korea.”

Impeachment vote can stay open for hours

10:37 , Shahana Yasmin

According to parliamentary rules, since the impeachment motion was filed at 12.48am KST on 5 December, the voting must be concluded by the same time – shortly after midnight – on Sunday 8 December.

It is currently 7.37pm in South Korea now.

It appears that the voting will be kept open until the deadline, in case more PPP members can be persuaded to return.

Another ruling party member returns to vote

10:07 , Shahana Yasmin

Kim Sang Wook from the People Power Party (PPP) returned to the chamber to vote.

This brings the number of PPP members in the National Assembly to three. The opposition needs eight PPP members to vote in favour of impeachment for the motion to pass.

Speaker asks ruling party MPs to return and vote

09:48 , Shahana Yasmin

As opposition MPs continued to cast their votes, another PPP lawmaker, Kim Ye Ji returned to the chamber.

Speaker Woo Won Shik of the Democratic Party has asked the other PPP members who walked out to return and vote.

“The Republic of Korea is a democracy that’s made of people’s blood and tears,” he said.

“Are you not afraid of being judged by history, by the people, and by the world?”

“Participate in the voting, that’s how you protect our democracy.”

Speaker says ruling party is ‘ignoring the will of the people’ with boycott

09:46 , Shahana Yasmin

After only Ahn Cheol Soo from the PPP stayed back in the chamber to vote in the impeachment motion, the speaker accused the ruling party of disregarding the South Korean public.

“This is ignoring the will of the people,” he said. “This is disregard of the people, disregard of the National Assembly. As representatives, you must not do this.”

The MPs present in the chamber have now cast their votes and are waiting to see if any PPP members will join them from outside.

Watch live: South Korean lawmakers vote on impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol

09:30 , Shahana Yasmin

Voting on Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment has begun

09:26 , Shahana Yasmin

MPs have begun to vote on the impeachment motion against president Yoon Suk Yeol.

ICYMI: Dua Lipa dances the night away in South Korea amid political chaos

09:15 , Shahana Yasmin

South Korea’s political system is in turmoil, but that didn’t stop Dua Lipa dancing the night away in Seoul on Wednesday night.

Earlier on 4 December, promoter Live Nation confirmed that the British pop star’s show would go ahead at the Gocheok Sky Dome, as president Yoon Suk Yeol faced impeachment after plunging his country into chaos over his short-lived bid to impose martial law.

“Nothing else matters. Tonight, it’s just me and you — us,” the “Don’t Start Now” singer told the crowd during her concert.

Dua Lipa dances the night away in South Korea amid political chaos

In pictures: South Koreans hold demonstrations calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol’s ouster

09:00 , Shahana Yasmin

Only one ruling party MP remains for impeachment vote

08:59 , Adam Withnall

At least 200 votes are required to pass the motion impeaching president Yoon Suk Yeol – a supermajority, or two thirds of the total 300 seats in the National Assembly.

There are 192 opposition MPs, meaning they needed to convince at least eight of Yoon’s own MPs to back the motion against him.

Yet that now appears unlikely, with only one PPP member still in the chamber after a walkout before the votes. Ahn Cheol-soo is the only People Power Party lawmaker who remains in the voting chamber, having said publicly earlier that he would back impeachment.

The Speaker has said the impeachment vote can proceed, although it now seems doomed to fail.

First lady investigation bill fails

08:55 , Adam Withnall

The first bill being voted on today – to appoint a special counsel to investigate South Korea’s first lady – has failed, falling two votes short of the 200 needed.

The bill would have begun a special investigation into first lady Kim Keon Hee over allegations of corruption and undue influence on politics.

Ruling party members leave chamber before votes

08:41 , Adam Withnall

The vote on a bill to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the first lady is taking place now.

Before voting began, MPs from the ruling party walked out of the chamber – to jeers from the opposition.

Some PPP members stayed, but it is not clear at this stage whether it will be enough to form a supermajority.

Oscar-winning Parasite director, film industry figures call for Yoon’s arrest

08:30 , Shahana Yasmin

Parasite director Bong Joon Ho and 2,518 other members of South Korea’s film community have released a statement asking for Yoon Suk Yeol’s “suspension, impeachment, and arrest”.

The statement titled, “Remove and Arrest Yoon Suk Yeol, Perpetrator of Rebellion,” was released by 77 film organisations including the Directors Guild of Korea (DGK) and the Producers Guild of Korea (PGK), reported The Korea Times.

“For the film industry, Yoon Suk Yeol is no longer a president but a perpetrator of rebellion,” the statement said. “We demand his immediate suspension, impeachment, and arrest.”

“This is a scenario that defies even the most imaginative film plots. The greatest threat to the Republic of Korea’s existence is Yoon Suk Yeol. Removing him from office is an urgent task to safeguard our democratic republic.”

“The once-celebrated Korean Wave has plummeted under this administration,” the statement added.

South Korea ruling party opposes Yoon impeachment and first lady special probe bills

08:08 , Shahana Yasmin

South Korea’s ruling party lawmakers on Saturday have said they will oppose the impeachment vote of President Yoon Suk Yeol, as well as a special counsel investigation bill on the first lady, reported Yonhap.

Watch live: South Korea parliament protests continue as lawmakers vote on President Yoon’s impeachment

08:03 , Shahana Yasmin

Opposition member holds vigil in National Assembly

07:45 , Shahana Yasmin

Democratic Party member Lee Hoongi shares a photo of himself sleeping in the main hall of the National Assembly.

DP leader leader Lee Jae Myung had warned on Friday that President Yoon Suk Yeol might make another attempt to declare martial law before parliament votes on impeaching him on Saturday, according Reuters.

Opposition party says Yoon’s removal only way to resolve the situation

07:30 , Shahana Yasmin

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) on Saturday said they were disappointed in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s apology over his emergency martial law declaration, adding that there was no other choice besides his resignation or impeachment, reported Yonhap.

“There is no way to resolve the situation other than the president’s immediate resignation or an early departure through impeachment,” Lee Jae Myung, DP leader, said in a press conference at the National Assembly.

He added that Yoon’s apology was “completely out of line with the people’s expectations” and that it “further raised the sense of betrayal and anger among the public.”

In pictures: South Korea’s history of military coups and martial law as president Yoon faces impeachment calls

07:15 , Shahana Yasmin

When South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law this week it was the first time a South Korean government took such a drastic measure since it became a fully functioning democracy more than 35 years ago.

But in the decades of largely autocratic governments and military rule from the end of World War II until the establishment of the Sixth Republic in 1988, martial law was not uncommon as the country faced political turmoil, uprisings, frequent protests and all-out war with North Korea.

In pictures: South Korea’s history of coups and martial law

Nobel winner Han Kang says she is ‘in a state of shock’

07:00 , Shahana Yasmin

South Korean author Han Kang, who won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, said she was in “shock” over the martial law announcement and subsequent turmoil in her country.

“I am following the news in a state of shock,” she said at a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden.“Like many South Koreans, I am deeply shocked over the last few days by the news of a martial law situation unfolding in 2024.”

Han Kang’s 2014 novel Human Acts follows the death of a young boy during the student uprising in Gwangju in 1980 after martial law was imposed by Chun Doo Hwan.

“I sincerely hope we do not return to a time when voices are silenced through force or coercion.

“The scenes I witnessed were astonishing. There were people standing, trying to stop armored vehicles, and others with nothing but their bare hands attempting to hold back soldiers.”

Who will take over if President Yoon is impeached?

06:45 , Shahana Yasmin

If president Yoon Suk Yeol is impeached, prime minister Han Duck Soo will take over the presidential responsibilities as interim president.

Han, 75, was appointed by Yoon as prime minister in 2022 after he won the presidential election.

South Korea will then need to hold a presidential election within 60 days.

South Korea has previously seen two presidents being impeached since it became a democracy. Park Geun Hye was removed from office over corruption charges in 2017, and Roh Moo Hyun was impeached in March 2004, a vote that was later overturned by the courts in May 2004.

Is President Yoon likely to be impeached?

06:30 , Shahana Yasmin

The opposition coalition that filed the impeachment motion holds 192 seats, which means they will require at least eight members of Yoon’s ruling conservative People Power party (PPP) to break ranks and vote for Yoon’s impeachment.

On Thursday, the PPP said it was against impeachment, but party leader Han Dong Hoon called for Yoon to be immediately suspended after seeing “credible evidence” that Yoon allegedly intended to arrest and detain political leaders.

On Saturday, after Yoon’s address, Han repeated his call for the president to step down, saying: “President Yoon Suk Yeol’s early resignation is inevitable.”

It remains unclear as to which way the votes will go.

What is the process to impeach the president in South Korea?

06:15 , Shahana Yasmin

According to South Korea’s constitution, two-thirds of the National Assembly members – at least 200 votes in the 300-seat parliament – have to vote to impeach a sitting president.

Once approved, six out of the nine judges of the Constitutional Court will then need to vote to uphold the impeachment. The court has up to six months to make their ruling.

If the court votes against impeaching Yoon, opposition parties can repeat the process again.

South Korean MP describes scaling walls of parliament to vote down martial law

06:00 , Shahana Yasmin

ASouth Korean opposition MP has described the chaos and fear of Tuesday night, when he and other lawmakers scaled walls to enter parliament and vote down the president’s declaration of martial law.

Speaking in an interview with The Independent in Seoul, Jiho Cha said the shocking turn of events for South Korean politics reflects a global shift towards authoritarianism, and that he feared his country would descend into “civil unrest, violence in the streets” if he and other MPs failed to stop president Yoon Suk Yeol via democratic means.

Mr Cha, who is now among the opposition MPs from the Democratic Party spearheading efforts to impeach President Yoon in a vote this Saturday, described the tense hours culminating in Wednesday morning’s reversal of the martial law order.

“When we arrived at the National Assembly, the police had surrounded the building. It was clear we had to find a way inside to block this martial law,” he said. “If we failed to vote, there would have been a civil movement from our people against this violent government. There was a high risk of injuries or deaths in the streets.”

Read more:

South Korean MP describes scaling walls of parliament to vote down martial law

South Korean police investigate Yoon for insurrection as general ‘finds out about martial law from TV’

05:45 , Shahana Yasmin

South Korean police launched an investigation into president Yoon Suk Yeol over allegations of “insurrection” following his abrupt and short-lived declaration of martial law earlier this week.

The decree, which lasted six hours and plunged the country into political chaos, could have grave consequences for Mr Yoon as insurrection is a crime that bypasses presidential immunity and carries the death penalty.

The inquiry follows two complaints filed by the opposition Rebuilding Korea party and 59 activists, with prosecutors also launching an investigation against interior minister Kim Seon Ho and former defence minister Kim Yong Hyun for their roles in the crisis, according to Yonhap News Agency.

President Yoon declared martial law in an extraordinary late-night televised address on Tuesday, citing unnamed security threats.

South Korea’s military leaders have distanced themselves from Mr Yoon’s actions. General Park Ahn Soo, the army chief tasked with overseeing martial law, told parliament on Thursday that he had only learned of the declaration when the president announced it on live television, reported the Financial Times.

“I found out about the martial law declaration watching Yoon’s press conference,” General Park said, adding that the military’s role was directed by defence minister Kim Yong Hyun, who has since resigned. Vice defence minister Kim Seon Ho similarly claimed he was informed of the president’s plans only after the announcement.

The South Korea crisis has rewritten the fragile rules governing the entire Indo-Pacific

05:30 , Shahana Yasmin

Those who follow developments on the Korean peninsula and that part of Asia will know that the crisis that erupted in the middle of Europe’s Tuesday afternoon did not come out of nowhere, writes Mary Dejevsky.

It was a slow-burn consequence of the South Korean elections in April that produced a parliament in opposition to the president, then in power for two and a half years, effectively stymying the intentions of both parties.

At the micro level, there was a clutch of scandals relating to the president’s wife that were already weakening her husband’s position. Then, at the macro level, South Korea’s position beside an unpredictable North Korea apparently cosying up to Russia. Add these two elements together and it is possible to see, in retrospect, that the components of an emergency were already in place.

For most of the world, though – its Western parts, in particular – this was indeed a crisis that came out of nowhere for the simple reason that South Korea was seen as an admirably still point in both a difficult region and a frantically turning world. With shooting conflicts showing little sign of ending in Ukraine and the Middle East, the new rebel advance in Syria, and the continuing horrors of Sudan’s civil war, there was plenty more for the world to worry about than any gathering political tensions inside South Korea.

The South Korea crisis has rewritten fragile rules governing the entire Indo-Pacific

When has martial law been previously imposed in South Korea?

05:15 , Shahana Yasmin

Before South Korea moved to direct democracy in the late 1990s martial law had been imposed a number of times.

The last time martial law was declared in South Korea was in 1979, after the assassination of the then-South Korean dictator Park Chung Hee, who had seized power in a military coup in 1961.

In 1980, martial law was fully extended after a group of military officers led by Chun Doo-hwan forced then-president Choi Kyu Hah to proclaim martial law to crush calls by the opposition, labour and students for the restoration of democratic government.

What is martial law?

05:10 , Shahana Yasmin

It is the rule by military authorities in an emergency, at times when civil officials are deemed to be unable to function. It often involves the suspension of civil rights and the extension of military law.

In South Korea, President Yoon had not been clear about what restrictions will be in place, but the Yonhap news agency cited the military as saying activities by parliament and political parties would be banned, and that media and publishers would be under the control of the martial law command.

Martial law often also restricts public protests, strikes and potentially other forms of public gathering.

Those who violate martial law can be arrested without a warrant, local news agencies said.

Martial law is in theory temporary, but in nations where it has been imposed, it has often been extended – and may continue indefinitely in some cases.

South Korea’s Constitution states that the president may proclaim martial law when “required to cope with a military necessity or to maintain the public safety and order by mobilization of the military forces in time of war, armed conflict or similar national emergency.”

The martial law commander, appointed by the president on the recommendation of the defence minister among active-duty generals, has the power to take actions related to arrests of persons, search and seizure, speech and the press, and assembly.

Who is Yoon Suk Yeol, the South Korean president who declared martial law?

05:00 , Shahana Yasmin

South Korea is in turmoil after president Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday night, only to revoke it hours later under immense pressure.

The decree, which marked the first attempt to impose such measures in over four decades, has sparked calls for his resignation and left the nation’s political landscape in disarray.

Mr Yoon, who narrowly won the presidency in 2022, has been facing mounting unpopularity since taking office. Already weakened by a crushing parliamentary election defeat for his party earlier this year, his approval ratings had plummeted to 17 per cent before this week’s events.

The chaos on Tuesday night began when Mr Yoon justified his martial law declaration citing threats from North Korea and the need to eliminate “anti-state elements”.

But the move was widely interpreted as an attempt to consolidate power in the face of his domestic struggles. Within hours, lawmakers, some from his own People Power Party, rushed to the National Assembly to block the order, while thousands of protesters took to the streets in Seoul.

Read more:

Who is Yoon Suk Yeol, the South Korean president who declared martial law?

Watch: Vigil march in South Korea as President Yoon Suk Yeol faces impeachment

04:50 , Shahana Yasmin

A vigil march took place in South Korea on Wednesday (4 December) as President Yoon Suk Yeol faces impeachment following his declaration and subsequent lifting of martial law in the country.

There were deep divisions in Yoon’s ruling People Power Party as well, as its leader called for Defence Minister Kim Yong Hyun to be fired and the entire cabinet to resign, with the defence ministry saying Kim has now offered to resign.

Protesters gathered at Gwanghwamun Square and outside the national assembly on Wednesday, holding placards with messages such as “Restore Democracy” and “Investigate his act of rebellion immediately”.

When will South Korea’s impeachment vote take place?

04:34 , Adam Withnall

South Korea’s parliament, the National Assembly, said this morning that MPs would gather from 5pm local time on Saturday to stage the impeachment vote against president Yoon Suk Yeol.

The vote won’t happen immediately – first, it will vote on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate influence peddling allegations surrounding Yoon’s wife.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the impeachment motion would get the two-thirds needed to pass – 192 out of the assembly’s 300 seats. A vote on Tuesday night to void the martial law order received a unanimous 190 votes, including from some of Yoon’s own MPs, but that faction has since said it does not support impeachment.

Opposition leaders have vowed to keep bringing impeachment motions until one is successful. Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, told reporters that Yoon’s speech this morning was “greatly disappointing” and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment.

If the impeachment motion succeeds, Yoon’s powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office.

South Korea’s president apologises for causing ‘anxiety’ with martial law order

04:27 , Adam Withnall

South Korea’s president Yoon Suk Yeol gave a brief TV statement on Saturday morning, hours before MPs were due to stage a vote in parliament on his impeachment.

Yoon apologised for trying to impose martial law on the country but stopped short of resigning, instead saying he would leave it up to his party to decide on his political future.

“The declaration of his martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologise to the people who must have been shocked a lot,” Yoon said.

He also promised not to repeat his attempt to impose martial law.

In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a “den of criminals” bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces.” The order was revoked by Cabinet hours later, after the National Assembly voted at 1am on Wednesday to oppose it.

It remains unclear whether parliament will succeed in impeaching the president. Opposition parties need to win the support of at least eight of Yoon’s own MPs for their motion to pass.

04:17 , Adam Withnall

Good morning, and welcome to our live blog covering the impeachment vote against South Korea’s president Yoon Suk Yeol.