South Korean President Under Scrutiny as Impeachment Vote Nears

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is experiencing increasing calls for his resignation following his unsuccessful effort to implement martial law, concurrently with parliament advancing towards a vote on his impeachment. For a second consecutive day, Seoul, the capital city, has been the site of street demonstrations advocating for Yoon’s departure from office, as authorities confirmed he is under investigation for “insurrection”. Opposition parties are advocating for a vote on the impeachment motion against Yoon to occur on Saturday, despite his own party expressing opposition to the initiative. To secure passage of the motion, a two-thirds majority in the 300-seat parliament is required, necessitating the support of at least eight members from Yoon’s party for his impeachment. South Korea was thrown into political upheaval late on Tuesday night following Yoon’s unexpected declaration of martial law. He attributed this decision to dangers posed by “anti-state forces” and North Korea. Nevertheless, it quickly emerged that his action was prompted by internal political difficulties rather than external threats. Yoon rescinded the declaration six hours subsequent to its rejection by Members of Parliament. Certain lawmakers bypassed security forces by scaling barricades and fences to assemble in parliament and invalidate Yoon’s order. The endeavor to govern through martial law has ignited widespread public anger and street demonstrations. He has refrained from public statements since withdrawing his decision early on Wednesday. Prior to his effort to impose military governance on the nation, Yoon had been plagued by unfavorable approval ratings, accusations of corruption, and a legislature dominated by the opposition, which had diminished his authority to that of a lame-duck leader. Additional demonstrations demanding Yoon’s resignation occurred on Thursday, notably a candlelight vigil held in the evening. While some rallies in his favor have also taken place, their scale has been considerably smaller. A number of lawmakers are maintaining a presence near the National Assembly to ensure their preparedness to nullify any subsequent martial law decree, should Yoon make another attempt. According to Woo Jong-soo, head of the National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency, authorities have initiated an investigation into Yoon for purported “insurrection” subsequent to a formal complaint lodged by the opposition. The offense of “insurrection” carries a potential death penalty and is not covered by presidential immunity. The National Assembly commenced its own inquiry into the martial law declaration on Thursday. Opposition Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Seung-won stated, “The Yoon Suk Yeol regime’s declaration of emergency martial law caused great confusion and fear among our people.” Kim Yong-hyun, Yoon’s defence minister, tendered his resignation on Thursday, assuming complete responsibility for the martial law declaration. Interior Minister Lee Sang-min informed the parliamentary hearing that it was Kim who proposed martial law to Yoon. South Korean news outlets have published comparable accounts. During the hearing, it became evident that limited individuals were aware of Yoon’s intentions. Kim Seon-ho, the defence vice-minister, disclosed that he became aware of it through news reports. Army chief Park An-su reported that he received the text of the martial law notice solely on Tuesday night. He informed MPs, “There were four of us who were reviewing the draft… While we are military experts, we are not experts on martial law. Time was passing and we were all saying, ‘What are we to do, what are we to do?'” Concurrently, outside the National Assembly, altercations erupted between lawmakers and soldiers dispatched to prevent their entry into the National Assembly building. Video recordings depicting Ahn Gwi-ryeong, a spokesperson for the opposition Democratic Party, seizing a soldier’s weapon amidst the disturbance, circulated extensively online. She conveyed to the BBC Korean Service, “When I saw the armed soldiers… I felt like I was witnessing the regression of history.” She further stated, “I didn’t think… I just knew we had to stop this.” A motion for Yoon’s impeachment was formally introduced in parliament late on Wednesday. South Korean legislation mandates that such a motion must be brought to a vote within 72 hours. The primary opposition Democratic Party is advocating for the vote to take place on Saturday evening. Should the impeachment be sanctioned, the president would be instantly suspended from his duties, with the prime minister assuming the role of acting president. Subsequently, a trial would be conducted before the Constitutional Court, a nine-member body responsible for overseeing South Korea’s governmental branches. This procedure could extend for a maximum of 180 days. The president would be removed from office if six of the court’s members vote to uphold the impeachment.