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AS IT HAPPENED: National Assembly fails to impeach Yoon Suk Yeol

Published: 07 Dec. 2024, 15:00 Updated: 09 Dec. 2024, 14:28

JIM BULLEY
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KIM JEE-HEE
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Protesters gather outside the gates of the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. [NEWS1]

Korea's National Assembly will vote on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol at 5 p.m. today, four days after he briefly placed Korea under martial law before being forced to reverse the decision.

An impeachment vote in Korea requires a supermajority of two-thirds, or 200 of the 300 available votes. The opposition parties account for 192 votes, meaning that at least eight members of Yoon's own People Power Party will need to vote against the president for the impeachment to stand.

The Korea JoongAng Daily will be following the buildup to the National Assembly session and impeachment vote proceedings live on this blog from 3 p.m.

3 p.m. - Before we get started, here's a catch-up on everything that has happened so far:

- Yoon declared that Korea would be placed under emergency martial law from 11 p.m. on Dec. 3 in a statement to the nation at about 10:30 p.m. He cited the danger of "pro-Pyongyang antistate forces."

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks in an unannounced press conference at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul Tuesday night. [YONHAP]

- The declaration was immediately criticized from all sides of the political spectrum, with the leader of Yoon's own party Han Dong-hoon releasing a statement within minutes saying that "the president's martial law declaration is wrong. We will stop it along with the people." DP leader Lee Jae-myung immediately called on lawmakers to "safeguard the collapsing democracy” and gather at the parliament building.

- Korean lawmakers, who have the power to require a president to end martial law, started converging on the National Assembly. They were met by police and later armed forces, but were still able to enter the building. Some lawmakers later said that they had climbed over the fence in order to access the building.

190 members of Korea's National Assembly vote to overturn President Yoon Suk Yeol's introduction of martial law in the early hours of Wednesday morning at the National Assembly building in Yeouido, western Seoul. [NEWS1]

- At 1 a.m. on Dec. 4, with the sound of soldiers hammering on the chamber doors audible even through the live television broadcasts, the 190 lawmakers that had reached the National Assembly voted unanimously to end martial law.

- Three hours later at 4 a.m., Yoon officially ended martial law after meeting with the Cabinet.

Police bar entry to the main gate of the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, Tuesday night after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law. [NEWS1]

3:15 p.m. – Over the last few days, a clearer picture of what actually happened on Dec. 3 has come to light:

- Prior to declaring martial law on Tuesday, Yoon did call a meeting of the Cabinet, or at least some of the Cabinet, to discuss his plan. The law requires the Cabinet to be notified but does not require its approval of the decision, and according to Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, at least some Cabinet ministers directly opposed Yoon.

- Now-former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun has emerged as at least one of the main architects of the plan, and has since admitted that he may have violated the law by directly commanding troops when he was not in the chain of command. Kim resigned on Wednesday in a move that was interpreted as an attempt to shift blame away from Yoon.

Military forces mobilized under martial law attempt to get in the National Assembly to get inside the chamber on Wednesday in Yeouido, in western Seoul. [YONHAP]

- Kim reportedly ordered troops to be mobilized before martial law was even declared. Yoon also directly called the defense command to confirm troop movement. The targets were reportedly the National Assembly, the National Election Commission and the public opinion survey firm Flower.

- Lieutenant General Kwak Jong-geun of the Army Special Warfare Command says that he received an order from Kim to stand by before the martial law declaration, and that the former defense minister ordered him to pull lawmakers out of the plenary session. Kwak says he refused to follow that command because it was unquestionably illegal.

- Kim and Interior Minister Lee, both of whom went to the same school as Yoon, were not the only cronies on the ground on Tuesday. Yeo In-hyung, commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command and another alumnus of the same high school, called the commissioner of the national police agency and asked him to identify the locations of key political figures. The police ignored the command.

3:30 p.m. – Here’s where we’re up to today:

- Yoon addressed the nation at 10 a.m. this morning, apologizing for declaring martial law. The entire speech lasted less than three minutes — a full transcript can be found here.

President Yoon Suk Yeol makes a public apology in a televised address from the Yongsan presidential office in Seoul Saturday. [YONHAP]

- The Democratic Party held a press conference shortly after Yoon, accusing him of “amplifying the public’s sense of betrayal” and reaffirming that “there is no other path but immediate resignation or impeachment for President Yoon.”

- Perhaps crucially, Han, the head of Yoon’s party, also reacted to the apology negatively, saying that it is "inevitable that the president steps down." The PPP have largely avoided language directly referring to impeachment, possibly in the hope that Yoon will step down on his own.

People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon briefs reporters at the National Assembly, western Seoul, on Nov. 7 after President Yoon Suk Yeol's public address. [NEWS1]

- Large-scale protests have been held across the country since Tuesday, with protesters gathering outside the National Assembly to call for Yoon’s resignation today. The right is also out protesting in favor of Yoon in Gwanghwamun Square, central Seoul, calling for the arrest of Democratic Party head Lee Jae-myung instead.

Members of conservative groups call for the arrest of Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung in Gwanghwamun Square, central Seoul, on Saturday. [NEWS1]

3:35 p.m. - Reports coming in that Seoul's Line No. 9, the subway line that passes through Yeouido where the National Assembly is located, has stopped stopping at the National Assembly due to heavy congestion in the area.

3:40 p.m. – If the National Assembly votes in favor of impeachment today, the issue will then move to the Constitutional Court, where it could take up to 180 days to see a ruling. During that time, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will sit as acting president.

The below graphic shows Korea’s impeachment process. For a more detailed analysis, click here.

3:42 p.m. - The Korea JoongAng Daily's Kim Min-young is watching the web for the response to Yoon's apology this morning. The brevity is particularly under fire, with one commenter pointing out that Yoon apologized to the nation for introducing martial law in less time than it takes to cook ramyeon.

4 p.m. - Earlier today "Parasite" director Bong Joon-ho joined a film industry call for Yoon's impeachment, and unusually forward stance for an industry that often avoids getting involved in political issues. Prominent names to sign a petition alongside Bong include actors Gang Dong-won and Son Ye-jin, part of a total 2,518 individuals and 77 organizations, according to the Association for Film Industry Crisis and Recovery.

4:10 p.m. - Largescale protests continue in Yeouido outside the National Assembly. The Korea JoongAng Daily is on the scene. Here's the view from inside the crowd:

4:15 p.m. - A JoongAng Ilbo interview with Brigadier General Lee Sang-hyun, commander of the 1st Airborne Brigade that was dispatched to the National Assembly on Tuesday night, offers a clearer view on what was going on behind the scenes as the military converged on the legislature.

4:20 p.m. - Korea JoongAng Daily's reporters on the scene report that some people have left money behind the bar, so to speak, at local coffee shops in Yeouido so that protesters can pick up coffee for free. It's currently 2 degrees Celsius (36 degrees Fahrenheit) in Seoul with a fair amount of wind making it feel colder.

A post on X says that a member of the public participating in the rally urging for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol has paid in advance for 100 coffees at a coffee shop near the National Assembly building in Yeouido, western Seoul. Other people have pre-paid for meals and snacks for people participating in the rally at different shops and the information could be found with hashtags on social media. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Protesters line the roads leading to the National Assembly in Yeouido on Saturday with the vote on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment scheduled for 5 p.m. [YONHAP]

4:40 p.m. - No new news out of the National Assembly as the countdown to the impeachment vote winds down. Most coverage is now, unsurprisingly, speculating on whether enough People Power Party lawmakers will vote in favor of impeachment to allow the vote to pass. We know that there is a rift in the party, but how deep that goes is unclear.

4:42 p.m. - Scratch that, here's some new news: The People Power Party has now confirmed that the official stance of the party is to vote against impeachment and a revised special counsel probe on first lady Kim Keon Hee (also up for vote this afternoon). The question now is whether at least eight PPP lawmakers will refuse to toe the party line.

The People Power Party line comes despite party leader Han Dong-hoon having repeatedly stated, including as recently as this morning, that Yoon's position was untenable and it is "inevitable that the President steps down."

Another view of the protest calling for Yoon's removal on Saturday, stretching from the National Assembly to the left of the image to the financial district in the heart of Yeouido to the right. [YONHAP]

4:50 p.m. - Voting begins in 10 minutes, so here's a quick reminder on what is going to happen. The National Assembly will first vote on a revised special counsel probe into first lady Kim Keon Hee. That vote requires at least half of the lawmakers to be present, and two-thirds of those in the room to vote.

The impeachment vote will follow, with 200 votes needed — at least eight of which will need to come from PPP lawmakers.

The PPP is now whipping its lawmakers to attend the special counsel probe vote as well as the Yoon vote, because the former could technically be passed without a single PPP lawmaker in attendance. The PPP is opposing both.

5 p.m. - Lawmakers enter the National Assembly chamber ahead of the start of the plenary session.

5:01 p.m. - Woo Won-shik, Speaker of the National Assembly, has stepped up to the podium and called the session to order. Before the session can begin, groups of lawmakers from what appears to be the Progressive Party and PPP stood up and began shouting in protest.

5:02 p.m. - Woo: "Members of the National Assembly, the whole nation is watching. The key is how to maintain order in the plenary session, and the Republic of Korea is a proud democratic country."

5:03 p.m.- The shouting continues for a few minutes before Woo takes back control and officially starts the session. There are visibly empty seats on the PPP side of the chamber.

5:04 p.m. - Woo explains the motions to be voted on today and offers opening remarks. Up first is the vote on a special counsel probe into the first lady.

The special investigation bill aims to probe allegations into the first lady's involvement in a Deutsche Motors stock manipulation scandal and interference in election nominations through self-proclaimed political broker Myung Tae-kyun. To ensure a comprehensive investigation, up to 30 prosecutors will be assigned to the case.

The bill's passage follows a yearlong political tug-of-war characterized by repeated proposal, rejection and reintroduction. President Yoon vetoed the bill three times, citing constitutional concerns and accusations of political targeting.

5:12 p.m. - Lawmakers are now voting.

For this vote to be cast, each lawmaker has to write down their vote on a piece of paper in a booth. If the vote is not written in pen it will not be counted.

5:15 p.m. - Shouting has continued in the chamber throughout the vote. There hasn't been a physical altercation yet but it has come close — at least two lawmakers have had to be pulled apart.

5:17 p.m. - Voting on this first motion is expected to take another 20 minutes.

5:21 p.m. - PPP lawmakers are leaving the conference hall after voting on the Kim Keon Hee bill. The opposition are calling for them to stay. If all PPP lawmakers leave the chamber ahead of the impeachment vote, the motion cannot be tabled because there will not be enough lawmakers present.

5:26 p.m. - The PPP have reportedly said in a statement that they will not attend the impeachment vote.

The National Assembly sits to vote on a special investigation probe into first lady Kim Keon Hee in Yeouido, western Seoul on Saturday. [YONHAP]

5:28 p.m. - It is unclear if enough lawmakers remain in the chamber to vote on the impeachment of Yoon. At least some PPP lawmakers have remained in the chamber, but the number is unclear.

5:29 p.m. - Voting on the special counsel probe has finished. Votes will be counted by hand at the front of the National Assembly chamber.

5:34 p.m. - Votes are still being counted by hand.

5:36 p.m. - A bit more clarity on the PPP boycotting the impeachment vote. If a vote on the impeachment bill is held, PPP members could vote in favor due to the anonymous voting system. In order to prevent that happening, the party appears to have decided to leave the meeting room to ensure quorum could not be reached. Some of those lawmakers are now reportedly trying to leave the National Assembly.

5:37 p.m. - Woo asks lawmakers to be seated until the result of the first vote is announced.

5:39 p.m. - Ballots are now being recounted. This is a regular part of the process, not an indication that there is an issue.

5:42 p.m. - It has been confirmed that all 300 members of the National Assembly were present for the vote on the special probe. That means that 200 votes are needed for it to pass.

5:43 p.m. - The Justice Minister has not returned to the chamber, defying the convention that the representative of the government remain present throughout the vote. Woo reprimands the government and says it is disrespectful to the public.

5:44 p.m. - The bill on a special probe into the first lady fails. 198 lawmakers voted in favor, 102 against. The bill needed 200 to pass. This is the third time the bill has been rejected, and it cannot be tabled a fourth time.

5:44 p.m. - Woo addresses motion for impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. All ruling party lawmakers have now left the chamber apart from Ahn Cheol-soo.

Ahn Cheol-soo, top left, is the only PPP lawmaker to remain in the National Assembly chamber ahead of the vote on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol in Yeouido, western Seoul on Saturday. [JOONGANG ILBO]

The conservative People Power Party intend to block the vote on the impeachment of Yoon by refusing to attend the vote. At least eight members of the PPP have to be present for the vote to go ahead. Currently only one member remains. If lawmakers do not return to the chamber, Yoon will not be impeached.

5:47 p.m. - DP Floor leader Park Chan-dae addresses the assembly. It's a lengthy speech, addressing both the behavior of Yoon Suk Yeol and the state of democracy in Korea. Full text to follow.

Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae addresses the National Assembly chamber after his party members cast their ballots for the motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday. [YONHAP]

"Korea is a democratic republic. All sovereignty originates from the people, as specified in Article 1 of the Constitution. The crisis of democracy, the crisis of constitutional order and the crisis of peace on the Korean Peninsula are not separate issues.

I have previously emphasized that the crises stems from the president abandoning the spirit of the Constitution. Three months later, the president declared martial law.

We cannot understand this. That in 2024, such an event could actually happened in Korea.

On our way to the National Assembly, which had been blocked off, and on the way to the National Assembly chamber, we hoped that the situation was just a dream.

But it was a harsh reality.

Armed troops arrived at the National Assembly in helicopters and armored vehicles. Hundreds of martial law soldiers armed with rifles stormed into the National Assembly. They were trying to arrest lawmakers.

A coup in the middle of the night happened right here at the National Assembly. The entire scene was broadcast live to the world in real time. Martial law was declared for the first time in 45 years, shocking the entire nation.

The pride of being a model democratic nation turned into shame. That tragic day will never be forgotten.

To my senior colleagues, fellow members and juniors, this emergency martial law is clearly unconstitutional and invalid, as it did not meet the necessary procedures or requirements.

The president's actions were a coup to hold on to power. He is the leader and mastermind behind the coup. As revealed by the martial law declaration, the president is incapable of sound judgment.

He said that it was a warning, rather than giving an actual apology. If his duties are not suspended, no one knows what reckless actions he might take using his power.

Impeachment is a serious issue that is tied to the future of the country. The Dec. 3 situation has a severe impact on our nation’s diplomacy, security and economy.

The world witnessed the coup and was shocked. Foreign investors are not likely to invest in Korea. The very existence of Yoon increases uncertainty.

It also has a significant negative impact on our security. He is an obstacle to the U.S.-Korea alliance.

The impeachment of Yoon is the best solution to recover from these crises in economy, diplomacy and security. Protecting Yoon is the same as being part of the coup.

It is treason for lawmakers representing the public to try and protect someone who aimed guns at other lawmakers.

All eyes are on the National Assembly. Please show democracy and the people's sovereignty is solid in Korea by voting for the impeachment of the president."

6:02 p.m. - Park is now leading a roll call of the PPP lawmakers that have left the room, calling on them to return to the room. All remaining lawmakers in the room apart from Ahn, the sole remaining PPP lawmakers, have stood and joined the call, which is also being broadcast live on television and outside the National Assembly.

6:07 p.m. - People Power Party floor leader Choo Kyung-ho has offered to resign.

People Power Party floor leader Choo Kyung-ho, whose tendered resignation from the role had yet to be accepted by the time of the vote to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday, walks out of the National Assembly chamber ahead of the vote on the motion. [YONHAP]

6:10 p.m. - The impeachment vote is technically still on, but unless at least seven PPP lawmakers return to the chamber it cannot pass. That remains an option, although at this stage it seems unlikely.

6:11 p.m. - During the roll call of absent PPP lawmakers, Park has emphasized those that were present at the National Assembly on Wednesday night and voted to end martial law, but then opted to leave the chamber for the impeachment vote today.

6:17 p.m. - Woo announces that the vote on the impeachment of Yoon is about to start. With the current number of lawmakers inside the chamber it is impossible for it to pass, so this is likely a symbolic gesture.

6:18 p.m. - Voting has started on the motion to impeach Yoon. Ahn Cheol-soo is the first to vote, but he is no longer the only PPP member in the chamber. PPP Rep. Kim Yea-ji has returned to the chamber ahead of the vote.

Six more PPP votes are still needed for the vote to pass.

People Power Party Rep. Kim Yea-ji casts her vote on the motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday. Kim, the first visually impaired female lawmaker in Korea, left the chamber before the vote but returned with an aide to cast her vote. [YONHAP]

6:21 p.m. - Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo leaves the chamber after shaking hands with DP lawmakers.

6:22 p.m. - DP lawmakers line up to vote.

6:25 p.m. - National Assembly Speaker Woo votes.

6:26 p.m. - There is a rumor that some PPP lawmakers may be returning to the chamber. No evidence yet on whether this is true or not.

6:27 p.m. - Rep. Lee Jun-seok, the former head of the People Power Party and now a Reform Party lawmaker, votes.

6:31 p.m. - Woo takes to the podium and calls on the members of the PPP to return to the chamber and vote:

"Martial law is wrong because it hurts the value of our nation. Korea became a developed country thanks to the people. Our democracy was built on the blood and tears of our people.

The world had praised Korea for its development from a colonized country to a developed country. K-pop and K-food brought us the interest of the world. This was only possible because democracy built by the Korean people backed the development of K-culture.

[This week,] the world was surprised by how weak democracy actually is here. Then it was surprised by how resilient Korea is, watching as Korea lifted martial law in a matter of hours.

We have to protect the country, regardless of which party we are a part of. How will history remember you, not taking part in the vote? If we show the weakness of our democracy to the world, and our evaluation deteriorates, can you take responsibility for this?

I am calling out to you again, please come back and vote."

6:38 p.m. - Voting remains open at the National Assembly, although there is no indication yet that any PPP lawmakers are planning to return to the chamber.

6:50 p.m. - PPP Rep. Kim Sang-wook has returned to the chamber to the applause of the DP lawmakers and is voting.

With the addition of Kim Sang-wook, three of the required eight PPP lawmakers to make the vote valid have voted. Five additional PPP lawmakers will need to return to the chamber and vote for it to be valid, and all 200 lawmakers will need to vote in favor of impeachment for it to pass.

6:53 p.m. - Rep. Kim Sang-wook shakes hands with DP lawmakers. A huge cheer passed through the crowd outside the National Assembly when Kim returned.

6:55 p.m. - It's not over yet folks. There are reports that Rep. Cho Kyoung-tae of PPP has reportedly also returned to the chamber, although Korea JoongAng Daily reporters are yet to confirm this - Korean broadcaster YTN has retracted this. Cho has not returned to the chamber.

7 p.m. - Strap in for a long night. Voting can run 00:48 a.m. tomorrow morning. Five more PPP votes are needed to reach the 200 supermajority, and 200 votes in favor are needed for impeachment to stand.

7:05 p.m. - DP Rep. Park Sung-joon says that the PPP has called a general meeting of all lawmakers to prevent them from returning to the chamber and taking part in the vote.

"There has never been a case where a party general meeting was held when a National Assembly plenary session was taking place. I have asked [speaker] Woo to look into whether it violates the National Assembly Act."

7:11 p.m. - As of 7:11 p.m. 195 lawmakers have voted. Five more are needed for the vote to stand.

7:12 p.m. - Protesters outside the National Assembly are now singing and dancing to Rosé & Bruno Mars' "APT."

7:13 p.m. - Speaker Woo: "Some people have asked whether it is a violation of the National Assembly Act to hold a general meeting among lawmakers while a plenary session is still ongoing. I would like to call PPP floor leader Choo Kyung-ho to the chamber. I would like to check what's going on there. Please call Choo and ask him to come over." - Choo offered to resign earlier in the evening, but until that resignation is accepted he remains in place.

7:18 p.m. - Multiple people inside the National Assembly chamber are reportedly trying to call PPP floor leader Choo, but are unable to get through.

7:20 p.m. - National Assembly Speaker Woo is addressing the chamber, and by extension the nation, again.

"Public interest in this matter is very high. Korea's future is at stake. It is a great shame that we cannot even establish a vote.

How ridiculous is it to say that Korea, a democratic powerhouse, cannot even cast a vote? They can just come and vote as they did in the revised special counsel probe on first lady Kim Keon Hee.

It's up to each lawmaker's conscience. If this does not sit right with them, why can't they walk in right now and cast a vote."

7:31 p.m. - PPP Rep. Kim Sang-wook, who returned to the chamber and voted, is now addressing the public. In an unexpected announcement, Kim says he voted against the motion to impeach.

People Party Power Rep. Kim Sang-wook addresses the press after voting on the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday. Having walked out of the chamber with his party, he returned to cast a vote. [YONHAP]

Kim says that he does not think that Yoon is qualified to be present, but that as a member of the PPP he felt duty-bound to follow the party's decision. "This does not mean that I accept Yoon, who has messed up the Constitutional order," he says, on the verge of tears.

With Kim now confirmed to have voted against impeachment, five more votes are needed for the vote to reach quorum and six more are needed for it to pass, assuming all other lawmakers and the additional six vote in favor.

Kim's speech continues, criticizing Yoon and his own party despite his vote.

"This National Assembly is where citizens and public opinions are gathered. But armed soldiers came here, so this is a different issue to the Park Geun-hye case. It is not a healthy democracy if we act like the country will fall apart if someone from the opposing party takes office.

"It has not been a year since I started my career in politics. But I'm satisfied if I can stop martial law and start a new kind of politics. I made up mind despite knowing that I might be called a traitor

"I really hope that this chaos becomes the cornerstone for a healthier political ecosystem to be established.

"I thought it was my duty as a lawmaker to vote, whether it is for or against the bill, even if that means losing everything.

"I voted against impeachment, following the party's decision. But if the president does not take rightful action until the next vote takes place, I will vote for impeachment.

"I want to ask the public to trust the National Assembly rather than criticizing and attacking each other and help us build a healthier political basis."

Kim revealed that he went to Seoul Station intending to leave the city — presumably after the vote on the special counsel — and then changed his mind and returned to the National Assembly.

7:48 p.m. - Rep. Shin Dong-wook, a spokesperson for the PPP, is addressing rumors that lawmakers are being prevented from voting:

"The DP is spreading fake news that the PPP is locking up lawmakers up so they can't go and vote but we have not blocked anyone from voting."

"We are just waiting for the voting process to end.

"And you have already witnessed some lawmakers coming to vote, based on their own preferences. It all depends on their personal will.

It is fake news that we are physically preventing them from going."

8 p.m. - If you're just joining us (which is unlikely, let's be honest), it's 8 p.m. now, three hours after the National Assembly session opened and five hours after we started this blog. Voting on an impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol is open, with 195 lawmakers of the 200 required for quorum having already voted after a PPP walkout. Of those lawmakers, at least one voted against impeachment. That means that five more votes and at least six more in favor are needed for the vote to stand and the motion to pass.

The live blog will continue until voting closes at 00:48 a.m. tomorrow morning, but updates from now on will focus only on major events such as lawmakers returning to the chamber or statements from key figures. Keep refreshing for updates.

8:15 p.m. - The Korea JoongAng Daily's Kim Min-young is on the street among the protesters in Yeouido. The atmosphere among protesters is, unsurprisingly, not great.

8:41 p.m. - The crowds outside the National Assembly show no sign of leaving, despite the temperature now having fallen to minus 3 degrees Celsius (27 degrees Fahrenheit) plus windchill (making it feel like minus 7, according to my iPhone). Between music and speeches, the crowd are chanting "Vote," a very loud and clear message to the PPP lawmakers that are presumably still inside the assembly building.

8:45 p.m. - The Korea JoongAng Daily's Seo Ji-eun has wrapped up the situation so far on the impeachment vote as we settle in for a long night of waiting in case more than a handful of PPP lawmaker return to the National Assembly chamber. At this point it looks unlikely — the last person to break ranks did so two hours ago, and he later revealed that he had voted against impeachment anyway.

8:50 p.m. - Speaker Woo addresses the chamber again and calls on the PPP lawmakers to vote. He says that is going to "wait until 9:20 p.m.," although it is unclear if that means he intends to call the vote early. The vote can go on until 00:48 a.m. tomorrow morning.

9:05 p.m. - If, like me, you are sat here winding down the clock until either 9:20 p.m. or 00:48 a.m. (it's got to be one of them), here's a few reading options from earlier in the day to keep you entertained.

- Lee Ji-an takes a look at all the celebrities that have spoken out against Yoon over the last few days. While this might seem fairly run of the mill to international readers, Korean celebrities taking a stand on a political issue is very rare.

- Kim Min-young takes the pulse of the crowd in front of the National Assembly.

- Our colleagues at the JoongAng Ilbo talk to the commander of the brigade that was dispatched to the National Assembly on Tuesday.

- And, if you really can't handle more politics, Kim Dong-eun's got a list of four lesser-known Christmas attractions to visit (or e-visit) in Seoul.

9:10 p.m. - Now to resume our regular service. Assuming Speaker Woo meant that he intended to end the vote at 9:20 p.m. when he addressed the assembly 20 minutes ago, we are now 10 minutes out from the end of this impeachment vote.

Five more PPP lawmakers need to return to the chamber and vote in the next 10 minutes for the vote to count, and at least six more need to return for there to be a chance of an impeachment — 195 votes of the 200 needed have been cast, but we know that at least one of those was against the motion.

9:12 p.m. - Korean broadcaster JTBC, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, is showing footage of protests across Korea. Down in Gwangju, often seen as the spiritual home of Korean democracy, the masses appear to be braving fairly heavy snowfall.

9:20 p.m. - Speaker Woo announces that it is time to wrap.

9:21 p.m. - Lawmakers filter back into the chamber, but not including the largely absent PPP block.

9:23 p.m. - It appears that a count of the cast ballots is beginning. This is presumably a formality, as we all know that the required two-thirds of the assembly have not voted.

9:25 p.m. - Speaker of the National Assembly Woo announces that only 195 lawmakers voted, five short of the 200 needed. The vote does not stand.

"The motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol was not passed. In democracy, outcomes are important, but substance is equally important. I deeply apologize to the Korean people. I hereby declare the session adjourned."

9:26 p.m. - Woo bangs the gavel and closes the session. Neither the special counsel probe nor the impeachment of Yoon were successful.

9:30 p.m. - That ends this evening's live blog. It's been a dramatic afternoon for the Korean people and one that will inevitably have repercussions that reverberate across the following days and weeks. Keep an eye on the Korea JoongAng Daily for more in-depth analysis on what today's vote means for Yoon, the PPP and the country, and what is likely to happen next.