A vote to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol over his brief imposition of martial law was in limbo on Saturday, as members of his party walked out and the opposition called on them to return and vote.
While lawmakers debated the motion, introduced by the main opposition Democratic Party, only a single member of Yoon's People Power Party (PPP) remained in his seat while a couple of others returned during voting, casting doubt over whether the measure would have enough votes to pass.
The lull was an odd counterpoint to the shouts and cursing in parliament that had preceded the vote, held four days after Yoon plunged Asia's fourth-largest economy and key U.S. military ally into its greatest political crisis in decades, threatening to shatter South Korea's reputation as a democratic success story.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.