South Korea’s parliament has voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, marking a significant turning point in his presidency. The move comes after Yoon imposed martial law, sparking weeks of protests and political turmoil.
Yoon is now suspended from office, pending a decision by the Constitutional Court on whether he should be formally removed or reinstated. He faces up to six months of deliberation before a final verdict.
A range of investigations are underway, including potential charges of leading an insurrection, which could carry life imprisonment or even the death penalty. Yoon is also banned from leaving the country and has been summoned for questioning by prosecutors.
The Constitutional Court has announced plans to hold its first pretrial hearing on December 27 and will consider Yoon’s case as a “top priority”. The court’s deliberations will be complicated by the lack of full membership, with only six justices currently in place. The opposition parties aim to appoint three more justices by the end of the month.
If Yoon is formally impeached, he would become South Korea’s shortest-serving president and trigger new presidential elections within 60 days. Yonhap reported that a joint investigation team accused Yoon of being the “ringleader of an insurrection” and abusing his power.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/16/asia/south-korea-yoon-what-next-explainer-intl-hnk/index.html