South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is facing an impeachment motion following his controversial and ultimately short-lived declaration of martial law on Tuesday, Al Jazeera reports.
Six opposition parties submitted the impeachment bill to parliament on Wednesday, escalating the political crisis triggered by the unprecedented move.
The declaration, which prompted chaotic scenes as lawmakers physically clashed with troops attempting to block access to the National Assembly, has been met with widespread condemnation. The main opposition party, the Democratic Party, which holds a parliamentary majority, issued a resolution calling Yoon’s actions a “serious act of rebellion” and a “perfect reason for impeachment.” The resolution alleges a clear violation of the constitution.
The opposition plans to bring the impeachment motion to a plenary session on Thursday, aiming for a vote on Friday or Saturday. While the Democratic Party holds 170 of the parliament’s seats, securing a successful impeachment requires garnering support from members of Yoon’s ruling People Power Party.
The ruling party’s leader strongly condemned the incident and called for accountability. If the National Assembly votes to impeach, Yoon would be temporarily suspended from his presidential duties while the Constitutional Court considers the case.
Several high-ranking officials have already resigned in the wake of the debacle, including Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk, National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik, and Presidential Chief of Staff for Policy Sung Tae-yoon. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo vowed to continue serving until the end, urging cabinet members and public officials to fulfill their responsibilities. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, a major labor organization, called for a strike until Yoon’s resignation.
Yoon himself rescinded the martial law order hours after issuing it, claiming it was necessary to counter perceived threats from North Korea and accusing the opposition of paralyzing his government and undermining constitutional order. However, lawmakers successfully passed a motion forcing the revocation of the order after a physical confrontation with soldiers attempting to prevent their entry into the National Assembly.
A Democratic Party leader, Park Chan-dae, warned that Yoon “cannot avoid the charge of treason” following the events.
