South Korea’s ruling party has shown support for attempts to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol for attempting to declare Martial Law that triggered a widespread political crisis in the country.
The announcement came moments before Yoon gave a speech on Thursday (12) local time in which he justified his controversial Martial Law decision, rejecting growing calls from across the political spectrum for him to step down.
The People Power Party (PPP) initially refused to support impeachment, hoping Yoon would resign from office. But the leadership said attempts to persuade Yoon had made no progress.
“We tried to find a better way than impeachment, but this other way is invalid,” said party leader Han Dong-hoon. “Suspending the president from office through impeachment is the only way, for now, to defend democracy and the republic,” he added.
The main opposition party, the Democratic Party, is preparing a new impeachment motion against Yoon, with a vote expected for this Saturday (14).
Last weekend, Yoon survived an impeachment vote after PPP members left parliament and boycotted the vote.
The PPP’s reversal dramatically increases the pressure on Yoon and the likelihood that the next impeachment attempt will be successful.
Han said party lawmakers were free to vote according to their “belief and conscience” in the upcoming vote.
“I believe that our party members will vote for the country and the people,” he said.
The PPP announcement is the latest dramatic twist in what became a stunning political showdown in South Korea last week.
The president’s shocking but short declaration of Martial Law in a late-night speech on December 3 quickly backfired and galvanized many in the vibrant democracy to call for his removal.
Dramatic scenes showed security forces breaking windows at the National Assembly to try to stop lawmakers from meeting, and protesters clashing with riot police.
In just six hours, the leader was forced to retreat after lawmakers forced soldiers into parliament to overturn the decree.
In the days that followed, Yoon faced intense pressure to withdraw, with protesters and opposition figures demanding his impeachment — and support reaching even from within his own party and the military.
But he remained defiant.
“I will fight until the last moment with the people,” said Yoon in his speech this Thursday.
“I apologize again to people who may have been surprised and nervous due to the short duration of Martial Law. Please trust in my passionate loyalty to you, the people,” the president added.
This content was originally published in South Korea’s ruling party supports impeachment; president refuses to resign on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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