South Korea MPs vote to impeach president after mass protests over martial law

The impeachment of a president is not uncharted territory for South Korea, which last removed a president through this process in 2016. Ironically, Yoon – then a prosecutor – had led the probe against former president Park Geun-hye, which ultimately resulted in her impeachment.

First an impeachment bill needs to be tabled by a majority of lawmakers in the National Assembly -as the Democratic Party had done earlier.

Then, at least two-thirds of the National Assembly has to vote in favour of the motion – the magic number is 200. Opposition lawmakers need at least eight votes from Yoon’s camp.

If the motion passes in parliament, the president is suspended and a trial is held before the Constitutional Court. If six of the court’s nine members vote to sustain the impeachment, the president is removed from office.