UPDATE - South Korea’s constitutional court begins Yoon's impeachment trial process

UPDATES WITH BEGINNING OF IMPEACHMENT TRIAL PROCESS BY CONSTRUTIONAL COURT, PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT, REVISES HEADLINE

By Anadolu staff

South Korea’s Constitutional Court on Saturday began the process to deliberate a parliamentary decision to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law attempt.

Jung Chung-rae, the chair of the National Assembly's Legislative and Judiciary Committee submitted the impeachment resolution in the court and acting chief Moon Hyung-bae has convened a meeting of judges on Monday, according to the Yonhap news agency.

Moon vowed to conduct a "swift and fair" trial and decided to pick two judges to oversee the evidence and form a legal review task force consisting of constitutional researchers.

Earlier, South Korean parliament on Saturday suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol from office after it passed an impeachment motion over the short-lived martial law.

Some 204 lawmakers voted in favor of impeachment, surpassing the minimum threshold of 200 votes in the 300-seat parliament, according to a parliament statement.

This was the second impeachment motion brought by a bloc of six opposition parties against Yoon after he survived the first one last week.

Under the South Korean constitution, incumbent Prime Minister Han Duck Soo will take charge from Yoon until the Constitutional Court decides Yoon’s removal is justified.

The court will hold a trial of events that led to the impeachment and decide if Yoon should be removed. It may take up to six months but if the court confirms Yoon is impeached, presidential elections must be held within 60 days.

In case, Yoon chooses to resign, it will trigger presidential elections within the next two months.

The motion brought by an opposition bloc of 192 lawmakers needed the support of at least eight lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party which has 108 lawmakers.

All 300 lawmakers participated in the session, and the successful impeachment motion showed at least 12 ruling party lawmakers supporting it. At least eight votes were declared invalid while three abstained.

It was the third successful impeachment motion in South Korea's constitutional history.

The motion was triggered after Yoon in a shocking decision imposed martial law on the night of Dec. 3 which was lifted within six hours after 190 lawmakers rushed to parliament that night to reject the president’s decision.

The 63-year-old leader’s move has opened a wide probe including against Yoon himself who has become the first sitting president to face charges of treason and insurrection as well as a travel ban.

Yoon was elected in 2022 for a five-year term until 2027 but his administration has been rendered toothless after the main opposition Democratic Party won the majority in parliamentary polls held in April this year.

Following the impeachment, Yoon vowed to do his best for the country "until the end."

"Although I am pausing for now, my journey for the future with the people over the past two and a half years shouldn't stop," the president said in a statement.

"I will carry with me all the criticism, encouragement and support I have received, and I will do my best for the nation until the end," he added.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who will now take office as acting president, said that he would give all his "strength and effort" for the stable management of state affairs.

Han will also hold a Cabinet meeting to discuss the latest situation.

Large groups of South Koreans on Saturday also gathered in front of the parliament ahead of the vote demanding Yoon’s removal from office.

Civic groups, labor groups, and college students have held a series of impeachment rallies in various areas in the capital Seoul and other parts of the country.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid