South Korea's Yoon: from rising star to impeachment

Seoul: South Korean s Yoon Suk Yeol rose from public prosecutor to the nation s highest office in just a few years, but as president he staggered from...

Seoul: South Korean's Yoon Suk Yeol rose from public prosecutor to the nation's highest office in just a few years, but as president he staggered from scandal to scandal before plunging the country into crisis by declaring martial law.

The lurch back to South Korea's dark days of military rule only lasted a few hours, and after a night of protests and high drama last week Yoon was forced into a U-turn.

But polls show a huge majority of citizens want him out and lawmakers voted Saturday to impeach him.

He is now the third South Korean president to be impeached by parliamentary vote, and if upheld by the Constitutional Court would be the second to be removed from office.

This week Yoon had vowed to fight "until the very last minute" in a defiant public address in which he doubled down on claims the opposition was in league with South Korea's communist enemies.