- Yun’s short-lived martial law rattled the nation, dividing his party.
- The president apologized but later defended the move as protecting democracy.
- A growing number of the president’s party supports impeachment.
SEOUL: South Korea’s renegade President Yoon Seok-yul faced a second impeachment vote on Saturday over his short-lived attempt to impose martial law, a move that shocked the country and split his party. And stopped his presidency half way through.
Yun withdrew his move to impose military rule barely six hours later on December 3, after the opposition-controlled parliament refused to allow soldiers and police to vote against the decree. But it plunged the country into a constitutional crisis and sparked widespread calls for him to resign on the grounds that he had broken the law.
Opposition parties plan to hold an impeachment vote at 4pm (0700GMT), with large demonstrations planned ahead of the vote.
Yun’s conservative People’s Power Party boycotted the first impeachment vote a week ago, preventing a quorum.
PPP leader Han Dong-hoon has since urged party members to vote for impeachment this time, and at least seven PPP members have said they should vote for impeachment. will
Opposition parties need at least eight PPP votes to impeach Yun, as they hold 192 of the 300 seats in the single-chamber parliament, and impeachment requires a two-thirds majority.
PPP lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo, who supports Yoon’s impeachment, said in a Facebook post on Saturday that he voted for the impeachment “for the sake of the rapid stabilization of people’s livelihoods, the economy and diplomacy.” will give
The floor leader of the PPP said on Friday, however, that the party’s position remained against impeachment.
PPP lawmakers were meeting on Saturday morning to decide whether to change the position.
The main opposition Democratic Party said on Saturday that Yun’s “insanity” could no longer be tolerated.
“Refusal of impeachment is treason against the people,” the party added in a statement asking the ruling party to join the impeachment.
If impeached, Yoon’s power would end but he would remain in office until removed or reinstated by the Constitutional Court. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han Deok-soo will serve as acting president.
If the court removes Yun or he resigns, a presidential election must be held within 60 days.
Yoon is under a separate criminal investigation for alleged rebellion following the declaration of martial law, and authorities have banned him from traveling abroad.
He has not signaled his willingness to resign and vowed in a speech on Thursday that he would “fight to the end”, his martial law order to end political deadlock and protect the country from domestic politicians. Defending the letter which he says is harming democracy.
Yun, president of Asia’s fourth-largest economy, hopes political allies will rally behind him, but the fiery remarks received mixed reception among PPP lawmakers.
Two-thirds of Yun’s party supporters opposed impeachment in a Gallup Korea poll on Friday, although three-quarters of all respondents supported it.
Demonstrators calling for Yoon’s impeachment began gathering near parliament on Saturday, while pro-Yoon right-wing rallies in central Seoul were set to begin in the early afternoon.
Some K-pop celebrities have criticized the president and plan to donate food and drink to those attending the rally to call for Yoon’s impeachment.
People are using delivery apps to pre-order food and coffee for protesters.
Elected in 2022, Yun has been widely hailed in Washington and other Western capitals for his rhetoric in defense of global democracy and freedom, but critics say he is masking growing problems at home.
He has clashed with opposition lawmakers who he calls “anti-state forces”, and press freedom organizations have criticized his tough stance on media coverage they see as negative.
The crisis and the resulting uncertainty have shaken financial markets and threaten to damage South Korea’s reputation as a stable, democratic success story.
South Korean shares rose for a fourth straight session on Friday on hopes that political uncertainty will ease after a parliamentary impeachment vote later this week.