The motion to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol failed to pass in Parliament on December 7, as lawmakers from his party boycotted the vote.
The motion was initiated by opposition parties following Yoon’s decision earlier in the week to declare a state of war.
Only 195 lawmakers voted, short of the 200 required for the motion to pass.
“The whole nation is watching the decision being made today in the National Assembly. The world is watching,” said National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, expressing regret that the motion did not succeed.
The main opposition party, the Democratic Party, stated it would introduce another motion to impeach the president next week if the December 7 motion failed to pass.
Before the vote in Parliament, Yoon apologized during a televised address for his decision to declare a state of war, while thousands of protesters gathered outside the Parliament.
Yoon shocked the country and the international community on Tuesday evening when he announced the declaration of a state of war. It was the first time in more than four decades that such a measure had been declared in the country, and following the announcement, troops and helicopters were deployed to Parliament.
However, lawmakers voted to rescind the decree, forcing Yoon to retract the decision on Wednesday morning.
“The declaration of the state of war came out of my despair as president,” he said during his first public address since plunging the country into political chaos.
“I have caused anxiety and concern among the public. I sincerely apologize,” he added.
Opposition members and senior members of his own party have called on the president to resign.
Thousands of protesters gathered outside Parliament on Saturday before the impeachment session, demanding Yoon’s resignation.
While Yoon did not offer his resignation during the address, he said he trusted the “party to take measures to stabilize the political situation, including regarding my presidential term.”
Yoon’s ruling People Power Party was divided over how to vote on the impeachment motion before the session took place.
The day before, the party’s leader, Han Dong-hoon, said that Yoon should step down or Seoul risked facing further political chaos.
“The normal exercise of presidential duties is impossible under the current circumstances, and the president’s resignation is unavoidable,” Han Dong-hoon said earlier on Saturday.
The opposition bloc holds 192 seats in the 300-seat Parliament, while Yoon’s party has 108 lawmakers.
For the motion to impeach the president to pass, two-thirds of the votes were required, after which Yoon would have been suspended from his duties as president, with the final decision on his impeachment to be made by the Constitutional Court.
The police have begun investigating the president and others over the alleged insurrection.
“I will not avoid legal and political responsibility regarding the declaration of the state of war,” Yoon said during his address.
Opposition leader Lee said Yoon’s speech was “very disappointing,” given the public demand for the president’s resignation.
Some protesters remained overnight outside Parliament despite the cold temperatures, and some opposition lawmakers also stayed inside Parliament overnight, fearing Yoon might take desperate measures to retain power.
When he declared the state of war, Yoon claimed the decision would “eliminate anti-state elements that are hindering the freedoms and happiness of the people.”
Security forces surrounded the National Assembly, while helicopters landed on the roof of the building. Nearly 300 soldiers attempted to block the building. However, Parliament staff managed to prevent the soldiers from entering, and enough lawmakers were inside to vote against Yoon’s decision.
Lawmakers from both the ruling party and the opposition said the soldiers had been ordered to arrest key politicians, while special police units were reportedly instructed to remove lawmakers from Parliament.
