South Korean lawmakers are calling for the suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s constitutional powers following his short-lived declaration of martial law earlier this week, raising the prospects of impeachment.
Opposition parties are pushing for a parliamentary vote Yoon’s impeachment on SaturdayHe called his declaration of martial law an “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup d’état.”
President Yoon shocked his democratic allies by declaring martial law late Tuesday night, plunging the East Asian country into chaos. The South Korean parliament voted in favor abolish martial law only six hours later, but the episode has effectively frozen the country’s politics. Thousands of protesters have marched through the streets of Seoul since Wednesday, calling for Yoon’s resignation and an investigation.
Yet passing an impeachment motion would need support from some members of the president’s People Power Party to gain the required two-thirds majority. The opposition parties that jointly submitted the impeachment motion together have 192 seats. PPP has 108 legislators.
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South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, bottom center, shouts slogans during a joint press conference with members of civil society and the five opposition parties to condemn the ruling People Power Party during the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, December 6, 2024. (Park Dong-ju/Yonhap via AP)
At a party meeting, PPP leader Han Dong-hun said it was important to quickly suspend Yoon’s presidential duties and power. and its citizens in grave danger.”
Han said he had received intelligence that the president had ordered the arrest of unspecified politicians on charges of “anti-state activities” during martial law.
South Korea’s ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hun, right, speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, December 6, 2024. (Jo Sung-bong/Newsis via AP)
Han leads a minority faction within the ruling party, and 18 lawmakers in his group voted with opposition lawmakers to overturn Yoon’s martial law decree.
If Yoon is impeached, he will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether he should be removed from office or his presidential powers restored.
The Democratic Party’s main liberal opposition leader, Lee Jae-myung, said in a televised speech on Friday that it was crucial to suspend Yoon as “soon as possible.”
Protesters march to the presidential office after a candlelight vigil against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, December 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Lee said the execution of Yoon’s coup amounted to “rebellion and also a self-coup.” He said Yoon’s move seriously damaged the country’s image and paralyzed its foreign policy, citing criticism from the Biden administration and foreign leaders who canceled their visits to South Korea.
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President Yoon did not respond to Han’s comments. He has also not made any public appearances since he announced on television that his martial law was being lifted.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
