US reiterates support for South Korea after impeachment of president

The United States reiterated its support for South Korea, an ally in East Asia, and vowed to advance mutual interests after the country’s president Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached by the parliament.

“The United States reiterates our support for the Republic of Korea (ROK), its citizens and democratic processes, and the rule of law. Our commitment to the U.S.-ROK Alliance is ironclad,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a Saturday statement.

Miller said that in recent years, the alliance has made “enormous strides” and Washington “looks forward to partnering with the ROK on achieving further progress. We stand ready to continue this work with Acting President Han Duck-soo and the ROK government to advance our mutual interests and shared values.”

The State Department’s statement came just hours after South Korea’s parliament approved the motion to impeach the president with a 204-85 vote on Saturday. With Yoon suspended, the presidential powers will be in the hands of South Korea’s Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, for now.

South Korea’s Constitutional Court will now decide if the president will officially remove the post, therefore, prompting an election to be held within two months.

Yoon’s impeachment came just a week after the legislature’s first attempt to impeach the president failed as the opposition party, which led the way in the effort, did not whip enough votes to meet the threshold.

Yoon’s brief declaration of martial law sparked widespread protest in the country. Days later, he ended up apologizing for it and vowed not to do it again.

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik proclaimed the assembly’s successful impeachment attempt as “the people’s ardent desire for democracy, courage and dedication,” The Associated Press (AP) reported.

Yoon, in response to Saturday’s outcome, said in a statement that he will “carry with me all the criticisms, encouragement and support directed toward me, and I will continue to do my utmost for the country until the very last moment,” per AP.

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