National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik declares the passage of an impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol at the National Assembly in Seoul, Saturday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

The National Assembly passed a motion, Saturday, to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law declaration, with some lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party joining in support of his removal from office.

The impeachment motion against Yoon was put to a vote, with a total of 300 ballots cast: 204 in favor, 85 opposed, 3 abstentions, and 8 invalid votes.

The motion's approval comes 11 days after Yoon abruptly declared martial law, citing the need to protect the country and maintain social order against what he referred to as "anti-state forces," a term interpreted as referring to the opposition bloc and others who oppose him.

Following the passage of the impeachment bill, Yoon's duties as president are immediately suspended, pending a decision by the Constitutional Court on whether to uphold or reject the motion. In the meantime, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will serve as acting president.