South Korea's opposition parties on Wednesday filed a motion to impeach President Yun Seok-yeol. The president is under pressure to step down after briefly lifting martial law, which prompted a military siege of Congress before MPs voted to lift it.
Impeachment of Yun would require the support of two-thirds of parliament and the support of at least six Constitutional Court judges.
The motion, jointly submitted by the main opposition Democratic Party and five smaller opposition parties, could be voted on as early as Friday.
Yun's chief of staff and secretaries have collectively offered to resign, and Cabinet ministers including Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun have also called for their resignations as the public struggles to comprehend what appears to be an ill-considered plot. I was facing the voice.
It looked like a clear, cold December morning, except for tourists and residents milling about in the capital, the sounds of traffic and construction, and crowds of police carrying shields.
On Tuesday night, Yun, who struggled to advance his policies in the opposition-dominated National Assembly, suddenly declared emergency martial law, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces.
However, martial law was only in effect for about six hours because the National Assembly voted against the president. The declaration was officially lifted at a cabinet meeting around 4:30 a.m.
The liberal opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in the 300-member parliament, announced on Wednesday that its members had decided to call on Yoon to immediately resign or face impeachment.
“President Yun Seok-yue's declaration of martial law is a clear violation of the constitution. It did not comply with any requirements for declaring it,” the Democratic Party said in a statement.
“His declaration of martial law was originally invalid and a serious violation of the Constitution. This is a serious act of treason and is the perfect basis for his impeachment.”
Impeaching him would require the support of two-thirds of Congress, or 200 of the 300 members. Together with the Democratic Party and other small opposition parties, there will be 192 seats.
However, after the National Assembly rejected Yun's declaration of martial law 190-0, 18 members of Yun's ruling People's Power Party voted in favor of rejecting it, according to National Assembly officials.
Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People's Power Party, who has had a long relationship with Yoon since his days as a prosecutor, criticized Yoon's declaration of martial law as “unconstitutional.''
If Yoon is impeached, he would be stripped of his constitutional powers until the Constitutional Court decides his fate.
Prime Minister Han Do-soo, the second-ranking official in South Korea's government, will take over the presidential position.
Amid growing calls for Yun's cabinet to resign, Han issued a message to the nation, pleading for patience and calling on ministers to “carry out their duties beyond this moment.”
At least six of the nine judges of the Constitutional Court will need to support the lawmakers' petition for Yun's removal from office.
However, following the resignation of three justices, the court now has only six justices, one less than the minimum of seven required to handle presidential impeachment cases, and lawmakers are considering appointing new justices. There is a need to accelerate the nomination process.
Yun's declaration of martial law is the first in more than 40 years, and in the past, authorities have occasionally promulgated martial law and other laws, allowing combat soldiers, tanks and armored vehicles to be stationed on the streets and on battlefields. It was reminiscent of the South Korean military-supported government. public places such as schools to prevent anti-government demonstrations.
Until Tuesday night, such military intervention had not been seen since South Korea achieved true democracy in the late 1980s.
After Yoon's declaration, troops in full combat gear, including assault rifles, tried to move protesters away from the parliament as military helicopters flew overhead and landed nearby.
One of the soldiers pointed an assault rifle at a woman who was protesting outside the building calling for martial law to be lifted.
It is not clear how 190 lawmakers were able to enter the National Assembly building to vote down Yun's martial law. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung livestreamed himself climbing the wall, and while the military and police blocked some people from entering, they actively detained and used force against others. I never exercised it.
There were no reports of large-scale violence. Later, military and police personnel were also seen leaving the parliamentary grounds after the parliament voted to lift martial law.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik said, “Despite the unfortunate memory of a military coup, the people certainly observed today's events and witnessed the maturation of the military.''
Mr. Han of the People's Power Party demanded that Mr. Yoon explain his decision, and Fire Minister Kim Yong-hyun said he had recommended martial law to Mr. Yoon. The Ministry of Defense had no comment.
South Korea's constitution provides that the president may use military force in “time of war, war-like situations, or other comparable national emergencies” to restrict freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and other rights to maintain order. may declare martial law requiring
Many observers question whether South Korea is currently in such a state.
The constitution also provides that the president must oblige if the National Assembly, by a majority vote, requests the lifting of martial law.
Some experts point out that Yun clearly violated the constitution by imposing martial law. Martial law allows for “special measures'' that limit individual freedoms and the powers of government agencies and courts, but the constitution does not allow for restrictions on the functions of Congress.
However, following Yoon's declaration on Tuesday, South Korea's military declared a suspension of National Assembly activities and sent troops to prevent members of Congress from entering the parliament.
Democratic Party House Leader Park Chan-dae also called for an immediate investigation into Yoon's sedition charges over the method of sending troops to the National Assembly. Presidents are immune from prosecution in most cases while in office, but that protection does not extend to charges of sedition or treason.
In Washington, the White House said the United States was “gravely concerned” by the events in Seoul.
A spokesperson for the National Security Council said President Joe Biden's administration was not notified in advance of the declaration of martial law and was in contact with the South Korean government.
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the more than 27,000 U.S. military personnel based in South Korea are not affected.
In Seoul, the streets on Wednesday seemed as crowded as any other day.
Stephen Rowan, a tourist from Brisbane, Australia, who was sightseeing at Gyeongbokgung Palace, said he was not worried at all.
“But again, I don't understand much about South Korea's political status,” he said. “But I hear they're now calling for the resignation of the current president, so…it looks like there's going to be a lot of demonstrations. …I would have been worried if martial law had continued to be in place. ”
Yun's government and ruling party are at an impasse with the Democratic Party over next year's budget proposal and the impeachment of three top prosecutors led by the Democratic Party.
In a televised announcement, Yun also described opposition forces as “shameless pro-North Korea and anti-national forces that are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people.” He did not elaborate. North Korea had no immediate comment.
Natalia Slavny, a research analyst at 38 North, a Stimson Center website that focuses on Korean issues, said Yoon's imposition of martial law was a “serious setback for democracy” and that the 2022 He said there had been a “troubling trend of abuse” since he took office.
Slavny said South Korea “has a strong history of political pluralism and is not used to large-scale protests or swift impeachment,” adding that Park, who was ousted from office and jailed in 2017 on bribery and other charges, He cited former President Minae as an example. She was later pardoned.
