South Korea: Ruling Party Opposes President's Impeachment After Martial Law Crisis
South Korea's National Assembly on December 5 introduced a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol after a failed attempt to impose martial law, but his ruling party said it would oppose the move.
Motion to impeach
Lawmakers could vote on the bill as early as December 6. Mr Yoon’s ruling People’s Power Party has said it will oppose it, although the party has been divided by the crisis.
The opposition Democratic Party, with a majority in parliament, needs at least eight lawmakers from the ruling party to support the bill for it to pass.
“The declaration of martial law by the Yoon Suk Yeol administration has caused great confusion and fear among the people,” Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Seung-won said at a session of the National Assembly in the early morning of December 5.
In an effort to salvage his political future, Yoon accepted the resignation of Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on December 5 and nominated South Korea's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Choi Byung-hyuk, as his replacement.
A senior military official and impeachment petitions from the opposition said Mr Kim had recommended President Yoon declare martial law on the evening of December 3, leading to anger on the streets and concern from international allies.
Yoon's declaration of martial law aims to ban political activity and censor media in South Korea, Asia's fourth-largest economy and a key US ally.
None of the ruling party's 108 lawmakers were present at the introduction of the impeachment motion, which opens the way for a vote within 24 to 72 hours.
The impeachment followed a chaotic night when Mr Yoon declared martial law and armed troops tried to enter the National Assembly building in Seoul, but were forced to retreat after staff at the building used fire extinguishers to block them.
“The people and their aides have protected the National Assembly with their bodies. The people have won, and now it is time for us to protect them,” said Democratic Party lawmaker Kim. “We need to immediately suspend President Yoon’s power. He has committed an unforgivable historical crime against the people, and we need to ease their anxiety so they can return to their daily lives.”
US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said on December 4 that Mr. Yoon had seriously misjudged the declaration of martial law.
“This is a powerful symbol that people are willing to stand up and say, this is a completely illegitimate process, and that will be met with the will of the people, and frankly, the will of the legislatures,” he said at an event hosted by the Aspen Strategy Forum.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Reuters that the United States had not been informed in advance of the announcement and expected to discuss it with its South Korean counterpart in the coming days.
Opposition parties need a two-thirds majority to pass the impeachment bill. If it passes, the Constitutional Court will decide whether to uphold the motion, a process that could take up to 180 days.
If Mr Yoon's powers are suspended, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will take over as interim leader. If Mr Yoon resigns or is removed, a new election will be held within 60 days.
No specific threat
Mr Yoon said in a televised speech on the evening of December 3 that martial law was necessary to protect the country from “pro-North Korean anti-state forces” and protect the liberal constitutional order, although he did not specify the specific threats.
The South Korean National Assembly, with 190 of its 300 members present, including 18 members of Mr. Yoon’s party, quickly passed the resolution to lift martial law within hours. President Yoon later retracted the declaration, about six hours after it was issued.
“There are opinions that the declaration of emergency martial law was excessive and that we did not follow proper procedures for emergency martial law, but everything was strictly carried out within the framework of the constitution,” a presidential official said.
Currently, North Korea has not yet given any response to the developments in South Korea.
The martial law crisis has shaken global financial markets and weighed on South Korea’s KOSPI stock index. Foreign exchange traders said there were signs of state intervention on Dec. 4 to keep the won stable.
Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok sent an urgent notice to global financial leaders and credit rating agencies on the evening of December 4, pledging that the ministry would work to minimize any negative impact from the political unrest.
A veteran prosecutor, Mr. Yoon narrowly won the most closely contested presidential election in South Korea’s history in 2022, riding a wave of discontent with economic policies, scandals and gender wars.
However, his approval rating has remained around 20% for months, while the opposition won nearly two-thirds of the seats in parliament in April elections.