President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached Saturday over his short-lived declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 that plunged the nation into a whirlwind of chaos and outrage.

A first impeachment motion fell apart last week because lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party boycotted the vote. The second motion on Saturday, however, passed in a 204-85 vote, with three abstentions and eight invalid votes. It met the quorum of 200 votes in the 300-member parliament.

The motion’s passage came 11 days after Yoon declared martial law and sent troops to the National Assembly compound to block lawmakers from repealing the surprise decree that also aimed to ban political activities, suppress the freedom of the press and prevent labor strikes.

Yoon’s martial law order was lifted within six hours, after the National Assembly voted it down, but it touched off a firestorm of public criticism as well as multiple investigations into whether Yoon had orchestrated an insurrection.

Yoon disappointed the Korean people in his address after the imposition of martial law, saying that the decree was intended to eradicate “pro-North Korean forces” and to protect the constitutional order of freedom, even though his own actions limited people's freedom and undermined the constitutional order itself through an abuse of power.

Yoon’s bizarre mindset about the existence of “anti-state forces” and the use of military forces in a failed coup brought back terrible memories for those who experienced the military dictatorships that lasted until the 1980s. Yoon later justified his move as a “warning” against the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, which he alleged had paralyzed state affairs by filing impeachment charges against public officials and slashing the budget.

Yoon’s argument, however, was far detached from the reality of South Korea, an advanced democracy in Asia with a vibrant culture and economic heft -- a nation that does not want to return to the dark past of military rule, and does not agree with Yoon’s ludicrous justification about using martial law as a warning against the opposition party.

Yoon became the third South Korean leader whose duties were suspended by the National Assembly, demonstrating the enduring power of people in a free democracy as well as the shameful troubles caused by those who failed to restrain themselves from abusing presidential powers.

With Yoon suspended from office Saturday evening, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was called in to serve as the acting leader of the country in the coming months. And it will take as long as 180 days before the Constitutional Court decides whether to reinstate Yoon or remove him from office.

Tens of thousands of anti-Yoon protesters outside the National Assembly were seen jumping up and down, celebrating the result of Saturday's vote, which ended the country’s biggest constitutional crisis in decades.

But the political conflict, diplomatic confusion and economic volatility sparked by Yoon’s ill-advised decision are yet to be resolved, and the road ahead appears to be filled with uncertainty and obstacles.

The ruling People Power Party has to address the division among its members that was revealed in the two impeachment motions as well as the growing questions about the leadership of Han Dong-hoon.

Yoon also said in a televised address after the impeachment vote that he “will never give up” and do his best for the nation “until the end,” a gesture that can be seen as an attempt to seek support from conservative voters and also to secure his political position.

In addition to the aftermath of the impeachment, the government faces a number of challenges. The Korean economy is also likely to be swayed by turbulent moves in political circles in the coming months. The nation also has to restore trust among key allies after Yoon’s martial law order shocked the world and severely damaged Korea’s image.

On Sunday, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, proposed forming a consultative body between the parliament and the government to stabilize state affairs. “The normalization of the Republic of Korea is urgent,” Lee said.

Given the looming post-impeachment issues and conflicts, however, it will likely take far more time and effort to normalize state affairs.