Explainer | How South Korea’s president Yoon could be impeached
Critics accuse Yoon Suk-yeol of committing a crime akin to treason when he declared martial law. Here’s how his impeachment could play out
Yoon lifted the martial law declaration before dawn on Wednesday, just hours after opposition-controlled parliament rejected his attempt to ban political activity and censor the media.
Below are details of the presidential impeachment process and past presidents who were impeached.
What’s the law on impeachment?
The constitution provides for parliament to bring an impeachment motion against the president or other high-ranking public officials if they are believed to “have violated the constitution or any law in the performance of official duties”.
The presidential impeachment motion needs a two-thirds majority vote by the members of the single-chamber parliament to pass. A simple majority is needed to impeach other officials.
The Constitutional Court conducts a trial to either confirm or reject the impeachment motion, hearing evidence from parliament to determine whether the president violated the law.
Does the opposition have the votes?
