The opposition Democratic Party in South Korea has moved to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, filing a motion on Wednesday in response to his controversial declaration of martial law.
The president’s announcement, made late Tuesday, sparked political chaos and immediate backlash from lawmakers and the public.
The impeachment motion is set to advance through the National Assembly in the coming days, with a vote anticipated on Friday or Saturday. To pass, the measure would need the support of two-thirds of lawmakers before proceeding to the Constitutional Court for final approval.
Earlier in the day, opposition lawmakers gathered in Seoul to demand Yoon’s resignation. “If President Yoon does not step down immediately, we will immediately begin impeachment proceedings by the will of the people,” the Democratic Party said in a statement.
“We will fight to the end together with all the people to protect the democracy and constitutional order of the Republic of Korea”, the statement read.
The political crisis began when Yoon, in a televised address late Tuesday, declared martial law, accusing the Democratic Party of paralyzing the government, controlling parliament, and sympathizing with North Korea.
The decree banned all political activities, including protests and rallies, and placed the press under state control to prevent what Yoon called the “dissemination of fake news” and public manipulation.
The announcement prompted widespread protests and an emergency session in the National Assembly. By early Wednesday, lawmakers voted to demand the immediate lifting of martial law. Under South Korea’s constitution, such a vote requires the president to rescind the order.
Responding to the Assembly’s decision, Yoon announced he had withdrawn troops deployed to enforce martial law. He assured the public that the order would be formally lifted once the cabinet convened to approve it. The State Council later met to officially end the declaration.
The fallout from Yoon’s decision was swift. Presidential Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-Seok and nine other senior secretaries resigned on Wednesday morning, as confirmed by the presidential office.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party organized a candlelight vigil on the steps of the National Assembly to rally support for the president’s impeachment.
Yoon, a member of the conservative People Power Party, assumed office in May 2022 after narrowly winning the election. Before his presidency, Yoon was a political outsider who gained prominence as a prosecutor, most notably for prosecuting former President Park Geun-hye, who was impeached and removed from office in 2017.
As political tensions mounted, Yoon met with South Korea’s top political leaders on Wednesday afternoon, according to Yonhap News Agency.
While the impeachment motion appears set to proceed, the Democratic Party has vowed to “fight to the end” to safeguard the country’s democratic principles.
(ABC NEWS)
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