What's next for South Korea following Yoon's impeachment

With 204 in favor and 85 against, South Korea's parliament on Saturday passed the second impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol, after the first impeachment motion was dropped a week earlier as most of the ruling party boycotted it.

After the motion was passed, an impeachment resolution has been delivered to the President's Office and the Constitutional Court, suspending Yoon's duties immediately.

What happens next

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will take over as acting president until the Constitutional Court decides the case.

The court plans to review the impeachment starting Monday, with acting head Moon Hyung-bae promising a fair and swift process. If the court upholds the impeachment, a snap presidential election would be held within 60 days. If it is rejected, Yoon will be reinstated as president.

Han said on Saturday that he would work to ensure the government operates smoothly. However, he and several cabinet members face accusations of involvement in Yoon's failed attempt to declare martial law on December 3.

Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, said the impeachment was just the beginning and pledged to push for a thorough investigation into Yoon and  "accomplices of the insurrection."

Other possibilities

This is the third time a South Korean president has faced impeachment. In 2017, former conservative President Park Geun-hye was removed from office, while late liberal President Roh Moo-hyun was reinstated after his 2004 impeachment.

The Constitutional Court has up to 180 days to rule on such cases but decided on Park's case in 63 days and Roh's in 91 days.

To remove an impeached president, six out of nine judges must approve. With only six judges currently on the court, a unanimous decision would be needed to remove Yoon.

The Democratic Party, with a majority in parliament, has announced plans to fill the vacant judge positions soon.

Potential defense strategy

Yoon has been named a suspect in an insurrection case, becoming the first sitting president in South Korea barred from leaving the country, sparking speculation about potential detention.

Yoon said in a televised address after the motion was passed that he would do his best for South Korea, vowing not to give up.

In his speech on Thursday, Yoon said his martial law imposition was an act of governance to protect against the "legislative dictatorship" of the majority opposition.

Experts said it might be his defense strategy, arguing that declaring martial law was within his constitutional powers and did not constitute an illegal act or an insurrection.

He also claimed that deploying troops to the national assembly was designed to maintain order, not dissolve or paralyze it.

According to a Gallup Korea poll, Yoon's approval rating dived 5 percentage points from a week earlier to 11 percent this week, marking the lowest since his inauguration.

(With input from Xinhua)