For the impeachment bill to pass, a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly was needed, meaning at least eight PPP lawmakers had to vote in favor.
But all but three left the room on Saturday morning.
Rep. Kyung-tae Cho, one of those who remained, said Rep. Yoon’s apology for martial law on Saturday morning, which was released three days later, influenced his decision not to support impeachment this time.
He told the BBC ahead of the vote: “The president’s apology, willingness to resign early and delegating the entire political agenda to the party influenced my decision.”
Rep. Cho said that due to impeachment, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, will take over the presidency.
He added that Yoon’s “irrational and absurd decision” to declare martial law had “overshadowed” what he described as the Democratic Party’s “many extreme actions” during its time in power.
After Saturday’s vote, Lee Myung-bak insisted his party would “not give up” on its attempt to impeach Rep. Yoon, who he said had posed the “worst danger” to South Korea.
“We will definitely get this country back to normal by Christmas and the end of the year,” he told a crowd gathered outside the National Assembly in the capital Seoul.
