SEOUL: South Koreans wept and screamed with joy in freezing Seoul on Saturday as parliament voted to remove President Yoon Suk Yeol from office over his failed bid to impose martial law.

Inside the ornate seat of South Korea's hard-won democracy, lawmakers voted 204 to 85 to impeach Yoon for his "insurrectionary" push to suspend civilian rule for the first time in more than four decades.

And outside the parliament, where police said at least 200,000 had gathered to call for his removal, K-pop tunes rang out and protesters hooted and hugged each other as his removal was confirmed.

"I'm so happy that it's hard to put into words," Yeo So-yeon, 31, told AFP.

"If it didn't happen tonight, I was planning to come every week anyway. It's meaningful to be present at such a historic, joyful moment," she said.

There were concert vibes as protesters sang "Into the New World" – a K-pop song that became a protest anthem.

And despite the overwhelming crowd making it almost impossible to move, protesters waved their glow sticks, cheered, danced and jumped along to the music.

They then celebrated with Christmas carols, including "Silent Night."

"The moment the impeachment was officially announced, everyone started crying, including myself," Seong Jeong-lim, 42, said.

"We are the true owners of this country."

"Isn't it amazing that we, the people, have pulled this off together?" Choi Jung-ha, 52, who danced in the street after the vote, told AFP.

Thousands had gathered ahead of the vote in front of the National Assembly, with the sounds of K-pop bangers like Psy's "Gangnam Style" ringing out.

A group of mothers also arranged diaper changing stations and warm tents for young children to play in.

"I want to give them a better future, like any other parent wants," said Kim Ji-woo, pointing to her 18-month-old twins.

"I hope they'll be able to witness history," she added.

Kim Deuk-yun, 58, held a flag that read: "National Weekend Climbers Association."

"I was supposed to go hiking today, as I do every weekend. I really do love hiking," he told AFP.

"But I came here instead to support my fellow citizens."

Jung Yoon, 18, was carrying a flag that read "National Romantic Pirate Corp."

"I made this flag because I love the musical called 'Pirates', and I'm here with my friends who also enjoy musicals," she told AFP.

"Of course, the main reason I'm here is to call for Yoon's impeachment, but it's also wonderful to be with people who share my passions."

Another protester held a sign displaying a sleeping anime character imploring lawmakers to "Impeach Yoon Suk Yeol! Let's go back under the blankets."

And Cho Hyun-woo said he had taken the first train in the morning all the way from the southern port city of Busan to participate in the protest.

"It's my duty as a citizen. I didn't need to think twice," he said.

Saturday's vote had been far from certain – opposition lawmakers had needed to convince eight parliamentarians from Yoon's conservative People Power Party (PPP) to switch sides.

In the end, 12 appear to have defected.

Lee Yong-ju, 55, told AFP he never had any doubts.

"It would have been difficult for ruling MPs to ignore the growing public calls," he said.

With the impeachment, Yoon has been suspended from office while South Korea's Constitutional Court deliberates on the vote.

The court has 180 days to rule on Yoon's future.

But those who rallied weren't worried.

"I am 100 percent certain the Constitutional Court will side with the impeachment."

Protester Kim In-jeong, 32, told AFP he had struggled to sleep since the martial law announcement.

"I would worry that when I wake up in the morning, the country might be in ruins," she said.

"Today, I finally feel like I can relax and go to bed feeling relieved and safe."

 -AFP