section_path: Declaration of martial law/Impeachment
section_name: Impeachment
paragraph_text: Impeachment
  
  On 4 December, approximately 190 members of the National Assembly across six opposition parties submitted a motion for impeachment, with the intent to discuss it in the Assembly the following day and vote on the motion on 7 December. Police opened an investigation after cases of treason were also filed against Yoon for his declaration of martial law. The Democratic Party also proposed appointing a permanent special counsel to investigate Yoon for treason.
  
  On 7 December, Yoon apologized for declaring martial law, describing it as a "desperate decision made by me, the president, as the final authority responsible for state affairs" and saying that it would not be repeated. He also pledged to delegate his political functions to the PPP. Later that day, the impeachment vote failed after only 195 lawmakers present of the 200 needed to impeach attended the National Assembly following a boycott by all but three MPs from the PPP.
  
  On 9 December, the Ministry of Justice legally barred Yoon from traveling abroad.
  
  On 14 December, a second impeachment motion filed against him passed in the National Assembly after 204 lawmakers, including 12 from the PPP, voted in favor. His powers and duties were suspended and taken over temporarily by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo pending a final decision by the Constitutional Court of Korea. On 27 December, Han was also impeached on charges that included obstructing investigations against Yoon and his wife, colluding with Yoon on martial law and blocking the appointment of justices to fill vacancies in the Constitutional Court.
  
  On 7 January 2025, it was reported that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) was investigating Yoon for treason based on evidence that he had attempted to manufacture a conflict with North Korea by launching a drone from Baengnyeongdo.
  
  On 14 January 2025, the impeachment proceedings against Yoon were abruptly suspended after a brief period, as he failed to attend the session at the Constitutional Court. Subsequent hearings were held until 25 February 2025. Yoon attended the proceedings for the first time on 21 January, during which he denied ordering soldiers to interfere with the proceedings of the National Assembly against the martial law declaration. On 25 February, he issued an apology on the last day of the impeachment trial, but continued to defend his actions. The trial concluded with a total of 11 hearings held over 73 days and 16 people testifying as witnesses.