Timeline: Political Turmoil In South Korea Over Past Two Weeks

South Korea's parliament on Saturday passed an impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol with 204 votes in favor, reaching the two-thirds threshold required for the impeachment.

The following is what has happened over the past two weeks of political turmoil in South Korea.

Dec. 3: President Yoon Suk-yeol declared an emergency martial law, saying in a televised emergency address that "I declare an emergency martial law" to eradicate anti-state forces and uphold free constitutional order.

He noted that it was an inevitable step to ensure people's freedom, safety and national sustainability from the anti-state forces seeking to overthrow the country, vowing to eliminate the anti-state forces and normalize the country as soon as possible.

Dec. 4: South Korea's parliament voted to lift the emergency martial law declared by President Yoon.

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik said the president should immediately lift the martial law order according to the parliament's resolution approval, noting that the martial law declaration became invalid.

Woo confirmed that all martial law troops had left the parliamentary building.

Dec. 5: South Korea's opposition parties began to report an impeachment motion against President Yoon to the parliament over his declaration of the emergency martial law.

By law, the 300-member unicameral National Assembly is required to cast a secret vote on the impeachment motion within 72 hours after it is proposed.

Dec. 6: President Yoon met with the ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon ahead of a parliamentary impeachment vote scheduled for Dec. 7.

Han said he held talks with Yoon but heard nothing that could change his stance that calls for the swift suspension of Yoon's presidential powers.

Dec. 7: South Korea's parliament failed to pass the impeachment motion against President Yoon as most of the lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party refused to vote on it.

Of the 300 National Assembly lawmakers, 198 voted for the bill on the special prosecutor investigation of the first lady, with 102 against it. At least two-thirds of the lawmakers need to vote yes to pass the bill in revote.

Dec. 8: South Korean prosecutors booked President Yoon as a suspect on charges of treason.

Park Se-hyun, who leads a special investigation headquarters into Yoon's short-lived martial law declaration, said the prosecution is investigating charges of treason and abuse of power against the president.

While the president mostly has immunity from prosecution while in office, that does not extend to allegations of rebellion or treason.

Dec. 9: South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party of Korea submitted bills to investigate charges of President Yoon's alleged insurrection and scandal involving his wife.

Dec. 10: South Korea's National Assembly passed a resolution, calling for an immediate arrest of President Yoon and seven other officials over last week's botched martial law declaration.

Dec. 11: South Korean police raided the office of the embattled President Yoon over his martial law declaration last week.

Those subject to the raid were the National Police Agency, the Seoul Metropolitan Police and the National Assembly Police Guards as well as the presidential office.

A group of investigators entered the presidential compound to seize documents on an emergency martial law declared by Yoon on the night of Dec. 3 that was rescinded by the National Assembly hours later.

On Dec. 12: South Korea's parliament passed bills to appoint independent counsels to investigate President Yoon's insurrection charge over his martial law declaration and scandals involving the first lady.

Of 283 National Assembly lawmakers attending the plenary session, 195 voted for the special prosecutor bill against Yoon and 86 dissented, with two abstentions.

On Dec. 13: South Korea's parliament reported the second impeachment motion against President Yoon over his martial law declaration after the first one was scrapped on Dec. 7.

Dec. 14: South Korea's parliament passed the impeachment motion against President Yoon with 204 votes in favor, 85 votes against with three abstentions and eight votes nullified.

With the parliamentary approval, the constitutional court will deliberate the impeachment within 180 days, during which Yoon's constitutional power will be suspended and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will be an acting president.
-XINHUA