Lawmakers in South Korea voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol today. This comes after his actions on December 3rd, when he tried and failed to impose martial law in the country. Of the 300 lawmakers, 204 voted in favor of the impeachment, while 85 voted against it. Three lawmakers abstained from the vote, and eight votes were nullified.

The motion to impeach, which requires a two-thirds majority to pass, claims that President Yoon committed insurrection by staging a number of riots that threatened the National Assembly and the citizens of the East Asian nation.

Since the impeachment, Yoon Suk Yeol’s powers and duties have been suspended, and Prime Minister Han Duck Soo has taken over the reins as interim President of South Korea.

Now, the ordeal will move to the Constitutional Court, which will deliberate on whether or not to uphold the decision to remove Yeol. A ruling is expected within the next six months. If the court does rule to remove Yeol, he will become the second president in South Korean history to be successfully impeached.

This will trigger an emergency presidential election, which must be held within 60 days.

This impeachment comes after a chaotic period in South Korean politics. Yeol’s approval rating has taken a sharp decline, reaching a record low of 11%. Citizens have taken to the streets in Seoul and other cities to voice their frustrations, calling for the arrest of Yoon Suk Yeol.

Many criticized Yeol’s attempt to impose martial law earlier this month, with opposition leaders calling it an attempt at rebellion.

Yeol fiercely defended the need to dismantle domestic political support for their neighbor, North Korea, as one of his reasons for the action. On the other hand, his decision was seen as a high-risk gamble that exposed the nation to multiple security threats.

The fallout from the failed martial law attempt has been severe, with South Korea’s former Defense Minister now behind bars and multiple military leaders facing inquiries. Allies have begun to question South Korea’s preparedness and its ability to respond effectively to security threats, especially with elevated tensions with their northern neighbors.