South Korea’s ruling People Power Party leader, Han Dong-hoon, has called for the suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol, citing his recent attempt to impose martial law as a threat to the nation. This statement comes as the government denied reports that it was preparing to issue another martial law declaration.
Yoon’s controversial move to grant the military sweeping emergency powers to combat what he termed “anti-state forces” shocked the public and his own party’s members. The declaration was rescinded just six hours later after a parliamentary vote, which included opposition from some members of the ruling party.
In response to Yoon’s actions, the main opposition Democratic Party has submitted a motion for impeachment, with a vote scheduled for Saturday evening. Opposition lawmakers have been actively rotating through parliament to prevent any further attempts to declare martial law.
Acting Defence Minister Kim Seon-ho dismissed rumors of another martial law attempt, while Han expressed concerns about the potential for extreme actions under Yoon’s leadership. He stated, “I believe that President Yoon Suk Yeol’s immediate suspension of office is necessary to protect the Republic of Korea and its people in light of the newly revealed facts.”
While the ruling party initially opposed impeachment, Han’s comments suggest a shift in stance due to “credible evidence” regarding Yoon’s intentions to arrest political leaders. Some party members have urged Yoon to resign to avoid a repeat of the 2016 impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye, which led to significant losses for the conservative party.
To succeed, the impeachment motion requires support from two-thirds of the 300-member assembly. With the People Power Party holding 108 seats, eight members would need to side with the opposition for the bill to pass. If the motion is approved, Yoon would be suspended from office until a trial is conducted by the Constitutional Court.
Yoon has not been seen in public since rescinding the martial law declaration and did not attend the party meeting on Friday. Reports of his potential appearance at parliament prompted opposition lawmakers to prepare to block him.
Investigations into Yoon and Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who allegedly encouraged the martial law declaration, are underway. The defence ministry has suspended three army commanders involved in the incident, while military prosecutors are seeking to restrict travel for ten officers.
Details of the chaotic events following Yoon’s declaration are emerging, with Kwak Jong-geun, the special warfare commander, revealing he defied orders to forcibly remove lawmakers from parliament. He instructed his troops to refrain from carrying live ammunition during the incident.
Ahn Gwi-ryeong, a spokesperson for the Democratic Party, expressed that the public has already psychologically impeached Yoon, highlighting the viral image of her grappling with a soldier outside parliament as a symbol of resistance against martial law. Yoon’s approval rating has plummeted to a record low of 13%, according to a recent Gallup Korea poll.
