South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol faces a second impeachment vote this Saturday (14) for his short-lived attempt to impose Martial Law in the country. The move shocked South Koreans and divided the ruling party, putting Yoon’s presidency at risk halfway through his term.
The decree to impose military rule on December 3 was annulled just six hours later after parliament challenged troops and police to vote against the measure, but it plunged the country into a constitutional crisis and triggered widespread calls for the president to resign. for violating the law.
Opposition parties plan to hold an impeachment vote at 4pm local time this Saturday (14), with large demonstrations scheduled before the vote.
At least seven lawmakers from Yoon’s People Power Party said they would vote for impeachment this Saturday.
Opposition parties control 192 of the 300 seats in the unicameral parliament, so they need at least eight votes from the PPP to reach the two-thirds threshold for impeachment.
Ahn Cheol-soo, a PPP lawmaker among those supporting Yoon’s impeachment, said in a Facebook post that he would vote for impeachment “for a quick stabilization of people’s livelihood, economy and diplomacy.”
Yoon’s People Power Party boycotted the first impeachment vote a week ago, preventing a quorum. PPP lawmakers are expected to meet Saturday morning to decide whether to change their stance on opposing the measure.
If charged, Yoon would lose authority but remain in office until the Constitutional Court removes or reinstates him. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would serve as acting president.
If the court removes Yoon or he resigns, a presidential election must be held within 60 days.
Yoon is separately under criminal investigation for alleged insurrection over the declaration of Martial Law and authorities have banned him from traveling abroad.
He has not signaled a willingness to resign and in a speech on Thursday (12) promised that he would “fight to the end” and defended the decree of Martial Law as necessary to overcome the political impasse and protect the country.
Yoon, president of Asia’s fourth-largest economy, hopes political allies will unite to support him, but the inflammatory comments appeared to meet with mixed reception among PPP lawmakers.
A Gallup Korea poll on Friday found two-thirds of Yoon’s party supporters opposing impeachment, although three-quarters of all respondents supported him.
Elected in 2022, Yoon was widely received in Washington and other Western capitals for his rhetoric defending global democracy and freedom, but critics said it masked growing problems.
He has clashed with opposition lawmakers he has labeled “anti-state forces” and press freedom organizations have criticized his heavy-handed approach to media coverage that he considers negative.
The crisis and resulting uncertainty have rattled financial markets and threatened to undermine South Korea’s reputation as a stable, democratic success story.
South Korean stocks rose for a fourth consecutive session on Friday on hopes that political uncertainty would ease following this weekend’s parliamentary impeachment vote.
This content was originally published in President of South Korea faces second impeachment vote this Saturday (14) on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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