South Korean lawmakers impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over martial law bid, suspending him from office after the declaration of martial law caused mass outrage and resulted in constitutional crisis.

Lawmakers voted on a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, as a parliament livestream showed.

204 lawmakers in the 300-member house voted in favour of the motion, while 85 voted against. 

Under the constitution, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will be the interim leader.

It will now be decided by the Constitutional Court on whether to reinstate or remove him. This could take up to six months.

On December 3rd, when the martial law was declared by President Yoon Suk Yeol, soldiers were sent to the National Assembly and the officer who led the soldiers said that they were ordered to forcibly remove lawmakers so they wouldn’t be able to reach the 150 votes they needed to overturn the law.

Yoon had declared martial law accusing the opposition of paralysing the government. However, the declaration was voted down and the law rescinded within hours of its imposition.

Last Saturday, Yoon survived an impeachment motion after People Power Party lawmakers boycotted a floor vote but on Saturday some members of his own party helped pass the motion to impeach.

There has not been any immediate reaction from the Yoon, though he was watching the vote from his residence in Seoul as per KBS, the national broadcaster.

Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the opposition Democratic Party, said, “This is a victory for the South Korean people and for democracy.”

Yoon also faces criminal investigations because of his decision to impose the martial law.

After making an effort to suspend civilian rule in South Korea and impose martial law, President Yoon Suk Yeol stands facing impeachment. But that’s not the only downfall the country has witnessed. Previous leaders have seen their rule descend into disorder and tumult.

Here’s a recap of the collapse of previous South Korean leaders:

Park Geun-hye – Impeached and jailed

In 2016, Park Geun-hye, South Korea’s first female president, was impeached by Parliament and later imprisoned. Park, the daughter of former dictator Park Chung-hee, had been in office since 2013 and had touted herself as incorruptible. However, she faced accusations of accepting or soliciting tens of millions of dollars from conglomerates like Samsung. Additional allegations included leaking classified documents, blacklisting artists critical of her policies, and dismissing officials who opposed her.

Park’s impeachment was confirmed by the Constitutional Court in March 2017, leading to her indictment and imprisonment. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison and hefty fines in 2021, but received a pardon from her successor, President Moon Jae-in, later that year. Interestingly, the current president, Yoon, played a crucial role in Park’s dismissal and imprisonment as a Seoul prosecutor at the time.

Lee Myung-bak – 15 years in prison

Lee Myung-bak, the conservative predecessor of Park Geun-hye, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in October 2018 for corruption. He was found guilty of accepting bribes from Samsung in exchange for favours to the company’s then-chairman, Lee Kun-hee, who had been convicted of tax evasion. However, Lee Myung-bak’s prison term was cut short when he received a pardon from President Yoon in December 2022.

Roh Moo-hyun – Died by suicide

Roh Moo-hyun, the former President of South Korea from 2003 to 2008, tragically took his own life in May 2009 by jumping off a cliff. This devastating event occurred while he was under investigation for allegedly receiving bribes from a wealthy shoe manufacturer, totaling $6 million, which was paid to his wife and the husband of one of his nieces.

Chun Doo-hwan – “Butcher of Gwangju”

Chun Doo-hwan, the notorious military strongman known for his brutal suppression of the Gwangju uprising also known as the “Butcher of Gwangju”, stepped down in 1987 amidst massive protests. He handed over power to his protégé Roh Tae-woo, with whom he had a decades-long relationship dating back to their time as classmates at military academy during the Korean War.

However, their legacy was marred by corruption and violence. In 1996, both Chun and Roh were convicted of treason for their roles in the 1979 coup that brought Chun to power, as well as the Gwangju uprising and other offenses. Chun was initially sentenced to death, but his sentence was commuted to life in prison. Roh received a 22.5-year prison sentence, which was later reduced to 17 years. Despite their convictions, both men were granted amnesty in 1998 after serving only two years in prison.

Park Chung-hee – Assassinated

Park Chung-hee, South Korea’s dictator, was assassinated on October 26, 1979, by Kim Jae-gyu, his own spy chief, during a private dinner.

This shocking event has been the subject of intense debate in South Korea, with many questioning whether the murder was premeditated.

In the aftermath of Park’s death, army generals Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo seized the opportunity to plot a coup in December 1979, further plunging South Korea into political turmoil.

Yun Po-sun: Overthrown in coup

In 1961, President Yun Po-sun was ousted in a military coup orchestrated by army officer Park Chung-hee. Although Yun was initially allowed to remain in office, Park effectively seized control of the government. Park later solidified his power by winning the 1963 election, ultimately replacing Yun as president.

Syngman Rhee – Forced to resign

South Korea’s first president, Syngman Rhee, was forced to resign in 1960 due to a massive student-led uprising. The protests were sparked by Rhee’s attempt to extend his term through rigged elections, which ignited widespread outrage and calls for his removal.

Following his resignation, Rhee was exiled to Hawaii, where he spent the remainder of his life until his death in 1965.

Washington:

Republican lawmakers launched an investigation Tuesday into the possible impeachment of President Joe Biden, but such a prospect remains highly unlikely.

Republican House members accuse Biden, a Democrat, of having “lied” to the American people about his son Hunter’s controversial business dealings abroad.

Here are points to understand what may lie ahead.

– What is the procedure? –

The Constitution provides that Congress may impeach a president in the event of “treason, bribery or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

Impeachment by the House — the political equivalent of a criminal indictment — would spark a “trial” by the Senate.

It is a two-stage process. First, the lower House of Representatives conducts a vote by a simple majority on articles of impeachment detailing the charges against the president.

In the event of approval, the Senate puts the president on trial. At the end of the debate, the 100 senators vote on each article. A two-thirds majority is required to convict, in which case impeachment is automatic and final. Otherwise, the president is acquitted.

No president has ever been removed from office by impeachment. While Donald Trump was in office, the House approved articles of impeachment in 2019 and again in 2021. Both times, the Senate acquitted.

The US Senate is controlled today by Democrats, making Biden’s impeachment improbable.

– Why now? –

The Trumpist wing of the Republican Party has pushed for Biden’s impeachment since his 2020 election.

After securing a majority in the House this year, Republican lawmakers say they have “serious and credible allegations” against Biden, Speaker Kevin McCarthy now says.

McCarthy won his job back in January by making a series of deals with the hard-right lawmakers.

“McCarthy is doing this for a very simple reason: If he doesn’t, he’ll be replaced as Speaker,” political scientist Larry Sabato told AFP.

The Democrats, for their part, say any impeachment inquiry allows Trump to turn the House of Representatives into an arm of his 2024 presidential election.

An impeachment inquiry, meantime, would distract attention from the massive legal troubles weighing on Trump, who faces 91 criminal charges that will play out in four trials over the coming year.

– What are the consequences? –

“My guess is that this will backfire on the Republicans,” predicts Sabato, who says “there is thin, if any, evidence” for their claims about Biden.

Yet Biden’s image of rectitude could be tarnished by the televised hearings on his son’s affairs.

On another front, lawmakers have knives out for a pending battle over Republican demands for major budget cuts. If lawmakers cannot agree on spending bills to fund the US government by a September 30 deadline, the government will slowly shut down.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)