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SEOUL: Members of South Korean President Yoon Seok-yul’s party abruptly walked out of parliament ahead of a key impeachment vote on Saturday, following an attempt to impose martial law earlier this week.
The motion was tabled by the opposition Democratic Party and after the debate began among lawmakers, only one member of Yun’s People’s Power Party (PPP) remained in the chamber.
This has raised concerns about whether the opposition will be able to secure the two-thirds majority needed to pass the motion. The opposition needs at least eight votes from the PPP to win.
Tensions escalated after PPP lawmakers walked out after voting on a separate motion to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate allegations against the first lady, prompting shouts and curses from onlookers. Scorned.
Opposition leaders have said they plan to reconsider the impeachment motion again on Wednesday if it fails.
Yun earlier apologized for his attempt to impose martial law this week but did not resign, defying intense pressure from some in his ruling party to step down.
Yoon said he would not seek to avoid legal and political responsibility for his decision to declare martial law for the first time in South Korea since 1980. He said that this decision was born out of desperation.
The speech was the embattled leader’s first public appearance since he rescinded the martial law order early on Wednesday, just six hours after it was announced and as parliament voted against the order after the army and The police cordon was violated.
The move plunged Asia’s fourth-largest economy and a key military ally of the United States into its biggest political crisis in decades, and threatens to shatter South Korea’s reputation as a democratic success story.
“I am very sorry and want to sincerely apologize to those who are in shock,” Yun said in a televised address to the nation, pledging that there would be no further attempts to impose martial law.
“I leave it to my party to take steps to stabilize the political situation in the future, including the issue of my tenure,” he said.
Standing in front of the South Korean flag, Yoon finished his brief remarks and bowed to look seriously into the camera for a moment.
Han Dong-hoon, leader of Yun’s ruling party, said after the speech that the president was no longer in a position to carry out his public duties and that his resignation was now inevitable.
On Friday, Han said that Yun was a danger to the country and needed to be removed from power, increasing pressure on Yun to resign, although PPP members later reiterated formal opposition to his impeachment. .
According to local Yonhap News, Han met with Prime Minister Han Deok-soo on Saturday. Under the constitution, if Yoon resigns or is impeached, a prime minister appointed by Yoon becomes South Korea’s acting president.
If Yun leaves office before the end of his single five-year term in May 2027, the constitution requires presidential elections to be held within 60 days of his departure.
For Yun to be impeached, 200 of the 300 lawmakers in the assembly must vote in favor. With opposition parties controlling 192 seats, eight members of the ruling party would need to join the opposition to carry the vote.
If Yoon is impeached, the trial will be held by the Constitutional Court. The court can confirm a motion of impeachment by a vote of six of the nine justices. The court currently has only six judges, and it is unclear whether it will hear the case without at least seven.
In 2017, the court took three months to remove then-President Park Geun-hye from office.
Prosecutors, police and the Office of Corruption Investigation have all opened investigations against Yoon and senior officials involved in the martial law order, seeking to pursue charges of rebellion and abuse of power.
The officials face possible charges of sedition, abuse of power and obstructing others from exercising their rights. On conviction, the offense of leading a rebellion is punishable by death or life imprisonment, with or without hard labour.
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