Yoon survives impeachment vote, but political future remains uncertain

The National Assembly voted on an opposition-led motion to impeach Yoon for his botched martial law decree, but almost all lawmakers from Yoon's ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote, despite large-scale protests outside the parliament.

The outcome came hours after Yoon made a public apology for his martial law declaration, saying he will leave to the ruling party decisions about his term and stabilization of state affairs.

The PPP lawmakers mostly stood with the party stance to avoid a repeat of a similar crisis following the 2016 impeachment of then President Park Geun-hye, which led to the divide of the conservative party and a liberal victory in a snap presidential election in 2017.

Although Yoon avoided impeachment, his ill-fated decision to declare martial law raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining half of his single, five-year term.

Now, the embattled president faces legal risks and renewed attempts to force him out of office as the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) said it will table the impeachment motion again next week.

On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in front of the National Assembly, demanding his ouster.

Prosecutors, the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials have all launched probes into Yoon and senior officials involved in the martial law decree, seeking to press charges of insurrection and abuse of power, among others.

DP leader Lee Jae-myung has accused Yoon of being "the mastermind behind rebellion," calling for authorities to take necessary procedures for a swift investigation into him.

Under the law, crimes of rebellion are exceptions to the presidential immunity to prosecution.

Shortly after Yoon's address, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon said it has become inevitable for Yoon to step down early, adding the president is no longer in a position to perform his duties effectively.

Han, a former prosecutor and once a close aide to Yoon, said he would consult with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on essential issues, particularly those related to people's livelihoods, to minimize potential impacts.

As the impeachment bid failed, the ruling party is expected to consider various measures to stabilize the political situation by loosening Yoon's grip on power.

Some PPP lawmakers have proposed a constitutional amendment to shorten Yoon's presidential term and shift more power to the prime minister, the government's No. 2 post, who holds a largely ceremonial role.

Others have called for a coalition government, with Cabinet posts shared among rival parties to ensure broader political stability and parliamentary cooperation.

The political turmoil comes at a challenging time for South Korea, as it works to strengthen alliances with the United States and other partners to counter growing threats from North Korea amid its deepening military ties with Russia.

The instability also raises concerns about South Korea's ability to effectively address economic and security uncertainties, especially with the return of former U.S. President Donald Trump to the White House next month.

Yoon had planned to meet Trump shortly after his inauguration on Jan. 20, but that prospect now seems uncertain.