• Source:JND
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A motion to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has failed following a dramatic turn of events in the National Assembly. The session, which had been stalled for hours, came to an abrupt close when the Speaker of the National Assembly, Woo Won-Shik, decided to end the proceedings. The vote, scheduled for Saturday, was thrown into chaos after nearly all 108 members of Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) walked out of the chamber, effectively boycotting the motion.

This move triggered intense backlash from opposition lawmakers, who expressed their outrage at what they saw as an undemocratic and obstructive tactic. Some accused the PPP members of complicity in an attempt to undermine the democratic process, branding them ‘accomplices to insurrection’.

A spokesperson for South Korea's ruling party warned against a ‘paralysed government’ after a failed impeachment vote against President Yoon Suk Yeol, leading to the resignation of the PPP's floor leader, Choo. 

The walkout occurred following Yoon's apology for his attempt to impose martial law earlier in the week. The session also included a failed vote on a bill to investigate First Lady Kim Keon-hee, who is believed to have influenced Yoon's martial law decision. The PPP members walked out after the bill's failure.

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Impeachment Motion Against President Yoon Declared Invalid 

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik declared the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol invalid, as it failed to meet the required two-thirds majority, with only 195 votes cast. 

“With a total of 195 votes, the number of members who voted did not reach the required two-thirds majority of the total members. Therefore, I declare that the vote on this matter is not valid,” said Woo Won-shik. 

The session, marked by tension and heated exchanges, followed days of political turmoil after Yoon’s controversial martial law declaration, which triggered a major crisis in South Korea. To succeed, the opposition needed at least eight votes from PPP lawmakers, but after a separate vote on investigating the first lady, most PPP members walked out, sparking outrage from onlookers.

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Despite the PPP's boycott, opposition lawmakers remained determined to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, with many staying in parliament to push for the motion's success. Outside, protesters gathered in freezing temperatures, intensifying calls for Yoon to resign.