South Korea reveals date of vote on president's impeachment

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Democratic Party of Korea, which holds the majority in the National Assembly, plans to vote on a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol on December 7.

"It has been decided to hold the impeachment vote on December 7 at approximately 7 p.m.," the party announced. If the motion is approved, the case will be forwarded to the Constitutional Court for further review.

The impeachment document was submitted at the plenary session after midnight on December 5, local time, and it was anticipated that the vote would occur on either December 6 or 7. Legal procedures stipulate that the vote must take place no sooner than 24 hours and no later than 72 hours after the submission of the impeachment motion.

The impeachment process was triggered following an unexpected decision by President Yoon on the evening of December 3 to impose martial law to address what he termed "pro-North Korean elements." The martial law was lifted about six hours later. On December 4, the opposition launched the impeachment procedure, arguing that Yoon's actions violated the constitution as there were no legal grounds for declaring martial law.

This move has escalated tensions in South Korean politics, drawing widespread attention both domestically and internationally. President Yoon's government has faced growing criticism over various political decisions, and the potential impeachment vote marks a pivotal moment in the country's political landscape.