Since his election in 2022 with the narrowest margin in the country’s history against the leader of the Democratic Party, Yoon Suk-yeol has never had a majority in the Assembly. Citing in particular difficulties in passing his budget, he stunned the country by imposing martial law by surprise on the night of December 3 to 4, before being forced to repeal it six hours later under pressure from parliament and from the street.
He narrowly escaped a motion for dismissal by the National Assembly on Saturday, saved by his party. But the Democratic Party has set a second vote in this direction for Saturday at 5 p.m. local time (9 a.m. in Switzerland).
Yoon assured that he “would not avoid (his) legal and political responsibility”
If eight MPs from Yoon Suk-yeol’s People Power Party (PPP) support this new motion, it could be adopted. At the first attempt on December 7, only two voted for the motion. Since Tuesday, three others have announced that they will join.
“I apologize again to the people who must have been surprised and worried due to martial law (…) Please believe in my warm loyalty to the people,” the president declared Thursday, assuring that he “would not shirk (his) legal and political responsibility regarding the proclamation of martial law.”
Targeted by an investigation for “rebellion”, Yoon Suk-yeol, 63, is prohibited from leaving the territory, just like his former ministers of Defense and Interior, and the commander of the brief martial law. Two senior police officials were also arrested.
On Wednesday, South Korean police said they were obstructed in a search of presidential offices.
The Democratic Party has warned that it will file a complaint for insurrection against its services if they continue to obstruct the application of the law.
Strong pressure on Yoon
Popular pressure remains strong: thousands of demonstrators gathered Wednesday evening in front of parliament, singing K-pop songs while brandishing colorful light sticks and signs demanding the dissolution of the PPP “which supports the insurrection”.
On Tuesday, a PPP working group proposed a road map on the president’s removal. She envisages Yoon Suk-yeol’s resignation in February or March, with a new presidential election in April or May. This plan has not yet been accepted by the entire PPP.
Even if that were the case, it is unlikely that the opposition would give up trying to remove President Yoon from office. According to the PPP, the president left governance to his party and to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.
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