SEOUL, South Korea: South Korea's ruling party leader has backed the suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s powers after his brief imposition of martial law, raising the likelihood of his impeachment.
Opposition groups are pushing for a parliamentary vote on Yoon’s impeachment this Saturday, calling his martial law declaration a "dangerous and unconstitutional act." However, to pass the impeachment motion, they need support from members of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), which holds a key portion of the seats in parliament. The political unrest caused by Yoon’s martial law decision has sparked concerns both within South Korea and from neighboring countries, including Japan and the United States.
During a party meeting, PPP leader Han Dong-hun emphasized the need to suspend Yoon’s presidential powers immediately. Han warned that Yoon’s actions posed a serious threat of further destabilization and could endanger South Korea and its people.
Han claimed he had intelligence indicating that Yoon had ordered the country’s defense officials to arrest key politicians, accusing them of “anti-state activities” during the brief period martial law was imposed.
“I believe an immediate suspension of President Yoon’s powers is essential to protect our country and its citizens,” Han said.
Meanwhile, a closed-door briefing to lawmakers revealed that South Korea’s National Intelligence Service official Hong Jang-won shared details of a phone call Yoon made after declaring martial law. Yoon allegedly provided a list of politicians to be detained, including Han, opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, and National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik. Hong reportedly disregarded these orders.
Read More: Why South Korea's Martial Law Declaration Sparked Controversy and Backlash
However, the director of the National Intelligence Service, Cho Taeyong, questioned the account, stating that such orders would have been made to him, not to Hong, and denying that Yoon had given any instructions to detain politicians.
Thousands of South Koreans have taken to the streets in protest since Wednesday, demanding Yoon’s resignation and an investigation into his actions. The Korean Metal Workers’ Union has also organized strikes, with plans for indefinite action starting December 11 if Yoon remains in office.
To impeach Yoon, opposition parties need to secure 200 votes in the 300-seat National Assembly. Currently, the opposition holds 192 seats, and PPP has 108. The ruling party’s position on Yoon’s martial law actions remains divided, with some lawmakers already supporting the opposition’s push for impeachment.
Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho stated that the Ministry of Defense would cooperate fully with an investigation into the role of the military in enforcing martial law, adding that no further martial law will be imposed. Kim also confirmed that Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun had resigned in connection with the controversial decision.
Read More: South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol Faces Impeachment After Martial Law Declaration
an, once a close ally of Yoon, has been increasingly critical, especially after their falling out over handling various scandals. His faction within the ruling party, alongside opposition lawmakers, successfully overruled Yoon’s martial law decree, which lasted only six hours after intervention from the National Assembly.
If Yoon is impeached, he would be suspended from office pending a ruling by South Korea’s Constitutional Court, with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stepping in temporarily.
In response to Yoon’s martial law decision, Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung called it an “act of rebellion,” which caused significant harm to the country’s image and led to criticism from global leaders. Foreign policy was particularly affected, with several scheduled visits to South Korea being canceled.
Despite the growing political crisis, Yoon has not made any public remarks since announcing the lifting of martial law.
South Korean prosecutors are also considering investigating rebellion charges against Yoon, though it remains unclear how they will proceed, as the president enjoys immunity during his time in office. Meanwhile, the opposition has raised concerns about other PPP officials, including Floor Leader Choo Kyung-ho, for allegedly helping facilitate martial law enforcement.
The U.S. government, which has had strong ties with Yoon’s administration, expressed concern over the developments. U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken praised South Korea’s democratic resilience after the martial law was lifted, while U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin canceled a planned visit to South Korea due to the political instability.
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