Image source, Reuters

We're pausing our live coverage for now but there's plenty more across the BBC to keep you informed:

• Read more about today's impeachment vote that prompted celebrations from anti-Yoon protestors, while Yoon's supporters fell silent after the news broke
• Today's vote in parliament follows last weekend's failed attempt to impeach Yoon after his short-lived attempt to declare martial law on 3 December
• Find out why Yoon made the shock move to declare martial law for the first time in almost five decades
• And get some first-hand accounts from South Koreans who remember when martial law was declared in 1960

For a summary of today's impeachment vote, have a look at our recap and you can also watch this video from our Seoul correspondent on why the vote doesn't mean Yoon will be immediately removed.

Our live coverage was brought to you by our team in Singapore (Tessa Wong, Joel Guinto, Fan Wang, Kelly Ng and Koh Ewe) and in London (Emily McGarvey, Tinshui Yeung, Frances Mao and Lana Lam).

Today's events mark the third time South Korea's MPs have voted to impeach a president.

The first time it happened was in March 2004 to Roh Moo-hyun, a human rights lawyer-turned politician. His impeachment was eventually overturned by the constitutional court and Roh was restored to his position two months later.

The second time it happened was in December 2016. Park Geun-hye, the country's first female president, was impeached over a corruption scandal. She was removed from the office three months later as the Constitutional Court upheld the parliament's decision.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

According to polls, a majority of South Koreans wanted Yoon impeached for his declaration of martial law, but the conservative president retained a support base, some of whom staged counter protests this past week.

Thousands of Yoon supporters gathered in Seoul to watch the result of the vote by MPs, seemingly devastated by the impeachment bill passing.

“In my view, the lawmakers in the National Assembly seem like bad people," one man Lee Sang-eun tells Reuters news agency.

"It breaks my heart and makes me feel despair to see lawmakers trying to depose our president, and trying to seize power themselves," he says.

Image source, Reuters

Another citizen, Su Hong-song, says he will accept the decision of the constitutional court, which has 180 days to rule on whether Yoon should be impeached or restored.

"However, if President Yoon Suk Yeol falls, I will have no choice but to leave this country," he adds.

Image source, Reuters

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has just held his first national security meeting as acting president, after taking on the role following Yoon's impeachment vote.

"At times like this, more than ever, we must prioritise national security," says Han, as quoted by Yonhap news agency, emphasising that South Korea must not allow North Korea any opportunity to plan provocations.

"I feel a heavy sense of responsibility in this difficult national situation," he adds.

It's now past 22:00 in Korea, marking another significant day in the country's history. Here's what you need to know:

• South Korean MPs have successfully voted toimpeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on their second attempt, following his brief move to impose martial law
• Yoon is now officially suspended, with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stepping in as acting president
• The Constitutional Court will decide Yoon's fate, with up to six months to rule on the impeachment. He could also face other charges, such as insurrection
• In a statement, Yoon says he is "temporarily stopping" his journey, but he "will never give up"
• Today's result marks a significant victory for the South Koreans who have been protesting since 5 December, demanding Yoon's removal
• But there's also anger and disappointment from Yoon's supporters. Many of them believe declaring martial law was necessary to safeguard democracy and national security

Yoon vows to fight on, but protestors announce victorypublished at 12:59 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2024

12:59 GMT 14 December 2024

Jean Mackenzie
Seoul correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Just enough politicians have listened to the people who have come out every day to protest in below freezing temperatures. 204 MPs voted in favour of Yoon’s impeachment - 12 members of the ruling party alongside the opposition – and so the motion passed by four votes.

This means the president is immediately suspended from office and the prime minister is now running the country.

But Yoon is not gone for good.

The decision on whether to impeach him now moves to the constitutional court, which has six months to rule. If the court rules in favour of his impeachment, then he is out, and South Korea will hold new elections. But if not, he will return to power.

Tonight, Yoon has vowed to fight on, calling this a temporary pause in his presidency. He is a lawyer by trade, who knows the system inside out, and it seems he is not going to go quietly.

But the protesters and partiers on the street have been telling me this is victory for their democracy.

The US's ambassador to South Korea has just tweeted saying he has met with the country's foreign minister following the impeachment move this evening.

"As always, the United States supports the Republic of Korea and the democratic and constitutional process here and stands with its people," Philip Goldberg says.

"Foreign Minister Cho and I reaffirmed that our Alliance is and will remain ironclad. Our commitment to peace and security on the peninsula and in the region is unwavering."

South Korea is a major ally of the US in the Asian region - the two countries work particularly closely together in response to North Korea.

Yoon's martial law declaration last week had alarmed Washington, as we reported earlier.

Image source, EPA

Image source, Reuters

In his first public address as acting president, Han Duck-soo says his focus is to "stabilise the situation" and "bring back normalcy for the people".

"As an individual who’s responsible for state affairs, I feel grave responsibility for this unfortunate situation and apologise to the people of Korea," Han says.

The acting president says he will leave "no vacuum" in state affairs and build a "solid security posture" with the cabinet aiming to "work hard to maintain trust" with the US, Japan and other allies, Reuters news agency reports.

All five supreme council members of South Korea's ruling People Power Party (PPP) have resigned, according to Yonhap news agency.

It comes as parliament voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, with PPP leader Han Dong-hoon saying he accepts today's result and takes it seriously.

Two of the supreme council members that resigned - Kim Min-jeon and In Yo-han - are supporters of Yoon, Yonhap reports.

While two others - Jang Dong-hyeok and Youth supreme council member Jin Jong-oh - are supporters of PPP leader Han, the agency says.

The remaining member Kim Jae-won has also resigned.

As all supreme council members have resigned, the leader is effectively toppled and the party goes into an emergency regime.

The European Union has officially acknowledged South Korean parliament's decision to impeach President Yoon.

In a statement, external, the EU says it is "important now to ensure a swift and orderly resolution of the current political crisis in line with the Korean Constitution".

As we reported, the South Korean parliament's move now puts the impeachment decision in the hands of the country's Constitutional Court. President Yoon is formally suspended until that court makes its ruling.

The EU and South Korea are strategic partners with a free trade agreement and other bonds on politics and security.

As we've been reporting, Korea's Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is now the acting president after Yoon was suspended.

But what's the difference between these two roles?

In South Korea, the president is the elected head of state and is responsible for deciding important government policies.

They can serve for a single five-year term, with no additional terms being allowed. Yoon had been president since 2022.

The president appoints the prime minister, who then acts as his principal executive assistant, supervising the administrative ministries.

South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met US Ambassador Philip Goldberg to reaffirm the long-standing alliance between the two countries following the impeachment vote, according to South Korean media.

Yonhap news agency reports that the pair said the alliance between South Korea and the US remains unchanged, with Cho saying its commitment to the partnership is firm.

Representatives from South Korea's foreign ministry also met with the Japanese and Chinese ambassadors to discuss the impeachment vote, saying they will remain in close communications and maintain existing relations, the agency reports.

Image source, Getty Images

Before he became president, Yoon rose to prominence as a prosecutor who took down high-ranking officials. In 2016, he led a probe into former President Park Geun-hye, which ultimately resulted in her impeachment.

In 2022, he won the top job by a whisker - but by earlier this year, he'd already become deeply unpopular with the public.

President Yoon has been plagued by personal scandals, including one involving his wife allegedly accepting a luxury Dior handbag.

• You can read more in our profile on Yoon here

Image source, Getty Images

Yuna Ku
Korean service

A short distance from the parliament protests, I was covering the competing rally outside Seoul's City Hall made up of the president's supporters.

Here, the anger and disappointment was palpable after the parliament voted to impeach him.

Tens of thousands of anti-impeachment protesters had gathered here to express their outrage over the past week's proceedings.

Many of these demonstrators are strong supporters of the president and the conservative party. They are largely older voters, with more direct experience of the Korean War and North Korean provocations.They believe that the declaration of martial law was necessary to safeguard democracy and national security as the president claimed.

It's a stark contrast to the scene that unfolded outside the National Assembly where people called for the president to resign - reflecting a majority of public opinion according to polls.

Yoon Suk Yeol was formally suspended from official duties as South Korea's president at 19:24 local time (10:24 GMT), his office says.

Watch the moment when citizens who've been protesting for over a week in central Seoul reacted to the impeachment bill's passage.

Han Dong-hoon, the leader of Yoon's People Power Party, says he accepts today's result and takes it seriously.

Before MPs voted to impeach Yoon, Han tried to convince the president to consider an "early resignation".

Han told reporters at the National Assembly just now that the People Power Party (PPP) would "correct wrongdoing and safeguard the constitution and democracy".

The Constitutional Court is set to convene on Monday morning to discuss the schedule of Yoon's impeachment trial, local media has reported.

The court will also set a date for public hearing, though it's unclear if Yoon will be on the stand in person.

In the meantime, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo says that he will do his best to run the government as acting president, while acting defence minister Kim Seon-ho has asked the military to maintain preparedness.

Image source, Getty Images

"Today is proof that you are the owner of this country," South Korea's opposition leader Lee Jae-myung has told protesters in front of the National Assembly just now.

There is a "bigger and tougher mountain" ahead, he said, as he blamed "privileged" people for the political crisis the country is in.

He rallied the crowd to "head towards the victory" together.

Laura Bicker
BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

President Yoon’s declaration of martial law not only caused political chaos at home, it raised serious concern around the world.

South Korea is a key United States ally. Washington describes it as a linchpin of peace and stability in the region.

The Biden administration took a bet on Yoon, brought him to Camp David and lauded him for signing agreements which they thought would establish a “new era” in relations between bitter north-east Asian rivals, Japan and South Korea.

Washington’s idea was to bring its two key allies closer together, to try to get them to put aside historic grievances and show a united front against the growing influence of China and North Korea.

Now, after Yoon’s martial law declaration, many of his decisions, including this one, may be called into question and the US may be calculating just how much it can count on Seoul from now on.