South Korean lawmakers impeach minister over crowd crush

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s opposition-controlled parliament has voted to impeach the country’s interior and safety minister, Lee Sang-min, holding him responsible for government failures in disaster planning and the response that likely worsened a crowd crush that killed nearly 160 people in October. The impeachment Wednesday suspends Lee from his duties and the country’s Constitutional Court has 180 days to rule on whether to formally unseat him or reinstate him to his job. Lee is seen as a key ally of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose office issued an irritated response to his impeachment, accusing opposition lawmakers of abandoning legislative principles and creating “shameful history.”