South Korea presidential impeachment vote fails on ruling party boycott

Opposition leader says party will continue submitting impeachment motions

2024-12-07 South Korean ruling party boycott vote to impeach

Lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo sits alone, the only People Power Party lawmaker who remains in the voting chamber during the plenary session for the impeachment vote of President Yoon Suk Yeol at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 7. © Reuters

STEVEN BOROWIEC and KIM JAEWON, Nikkei staff writers

SEOUL -- An attempt to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol failed on Saturday as a majority of ruling party lawmakers refused to cast their ballots, leaving the process without the minimum number of votes needed to pass.

Yoon, who sparked national chaos late on Tuesday night with a sudden declaration of martial law, can remain in office. However, the outcome is likely to mean further political wrangling and legislative logjams, as opposition parties control the National Assembly and have an increasingly antagonistic relationship with Yoon's ruling party.

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