South Korea's Yoon suspended as court weighs his future after martial law decree

Mr Yoon’s powers will be suspended until the court rules on the case, either removing Mr Yoon from office or restoring his powers. The court has up to 180 days to decide

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol was stripped of his powers on Monday after parliament voted to overturn his martial law decree, sparking a legal battle that could see him ousted from office.

Mr Yoon's powers will be suspended until the court rules on the case, either removing Mr Yoon from office or restoring his powers. The court has up to 180 days to decide, and if he is dismissed, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days.

The opposition leader's comments come after Mr Yoon's failed attempt to impose martial law on December 3, sparking a legal battle that could see him ousted from office. Mr Yoon's decree, the first of its kind in more than four decades, lasted only six hours, but caused massive political tumult, halting diplomatic activities and rattling financial markets.

Mr Yoon was forced to lift his decree after parliament unanimously voted to overturn it, and his attempt to block the vote by sending hundreds of troops and police officers to the parliament failed. No major violence occurred during the parliament session.

The opposition parties have accused Mr Yoon of rebellion, saying that a South Korean president is only permitted to declare martial law during wartime or similar emergencies, and would have no authority to suspend parliament's operations even in those cases. The conservative Mr Yoon has denied the charges, claiming that he intended to issue a warning to the Democratic Party, which he has labeled an "anti-state force" due to its use of parliamentary control to impeach several top officials and delay the government's budget bill for next year.

Mr Yoon's approval ratings have plummeted since he took office in May, and he has faced mounting pressure to resign or be impeached. However, the opposition parties, which hold a majority in parliament, have been hesitant to pursue these options, fearing that it could lead to further political instability and benefit Mr Yoon's conservative allies.