Seoul, South Korea

Around 150,000 people protested outside South Korea's parliament, calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol to step down as lawmakers, on Saturday (Dec 7), are voting in the incumbent president’s impeachment hearing, news agency Yonhap reported. 

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"Police estimated that around 149,000 people had joined the gathering as of 5:30 pm (0830 GMT) while organizers claimed the turnout was one million," according to a report by the South Korean news agency. 

Yoon's fate will be decided in the parliament today as the motion to impeach him is put to a vote. 

Also read: South Korean President impeachment vote: PPP members walk out, 3 return

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Before the voting started, all the members of the ruling party walked out, except one. Before the proceedings began, Yoon's party said that it would oppose it. 

'Traitors, go back in'

As they exited, opposition MPs started shouting, "Traitors, go back in". Only one member from the People Power Party (PPP), Ahn Cheol-soo, was in the voting chamber who had said that he would back Yoon's impeachment. The speaker condemned the walkout, saying, "This is ignoring the will of the people."

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South Korean parliamentary speaker Woo Won-shik, who is in the opposition Democratic Party, called for the PPP lawmakers to vote in an impeachment hearing. 

Watch | Own Party Wants South Korean President Out | GRAVITAS | WION | World News

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"The Republic of Korea is a democracy that's made of people's blood and tears," he said. "Are you not afraid of being judged by history, by the people, and by the world?"

Notably, the PPP lawmakers walked out from the National Assembly without enough members to reach the two-thirds majority needed to pass the impeachment motion. 

Later, two more MPs from the PPP returned to the chamber as opposition lawmakers welcomed them with applause.

(With inputs from agencies)