South Korea’s SEOUL (AP) In response to the startling and brief martial law that attracted heavily armed troops to encircle parliament before members scaled barricades to reenter the chamber and unanimously voted to rescind his order, South Korea’s opposition parties on Wednesday filed a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol.
In order to remove Yoon from office, at least six justices of the nine-member Constitutional Court would need to support the impeachment process, which would need the backing of two-thirds of parliament. The Democratic Party, the major liberal opposition party, and five smaller opposition parties jointly presented the proposal, which could be put to a vote as early as Friday.
Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun and Yoon’s top policy advisers both offered to step down as the country tries to comprehend what seemed to be a poorly planned spectacle. On Wednesday, the Democratic Party filed a supplementary motion to impeach Kim, claiming that Kim suggested martial law to Yoon.
Yoon promised to destroy anti-state forces in his address announcing the sudden order Tuesday night. He also continued to attack the Democratic Party’s efforts to remove senior prosecutors and other government officials from office. However, martial law was only in place for just six hours before Yoon’s Cabinet formally lifted it at 4:30 a.m. after the National Assembly agreed to override him.
The Democratic Party, which has a majority in the 300-seat parliament, announced on Wednesday that its members have agreed to demand Yoon’s immediate resignation or face impeachment.
The declaration of martial law by President Yoon Suk Yeol was blatantly unconstitutional. According to a party statement, it did not comply with any declaration obligations. His initial declaration of martial law was unconstitutional and a serious constitutional infraction. His impeachment is warranted because it was a serious act of rebellion.
What occurs if Yoon is removed from office?
It would take the backing of 200 out of the 300 members of the National Assembly to impeach him. Together, the Democratic Party and several minor opposition parties hold 192 seats. However, according to National Assembly authorities, 18 members from Yoon’s ruling People Power Party voted against the proclamation of martial law in a 190-0 vote. Both Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, a member of the PPP, and PPP leader Han Dong-hun denounced Yoon’s imposition of martial law.
Cho Jinman, a professor at Duksung Women’s University in Seoul, stated that since several members of the ruling party have already voted against Yoon’s decree, it is quite probable that lawmakers will support his impeachment action.
Yoon will lose his constitutional authority until the Constitutional Court makes a decision if he is impeached. His presidential duties would be assumed by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who is ranked second in the South Korean government. In a public statement, Han begged for patience and urged Cabinet members to continue performing their jobs even after this point.
After three retirements, the Constitutional Court now only has six justices in office. This implies that for Yoon’s potential impeachment motion to be successful, all six must agree to it. The Democratic Party is expected to expedite the process of exercising its authority to recommend two of the three new justices, as they include those chosen after Yoon assumed government.
Yoon’s declaration of martial law, the first in over 40 years, was reminiscent of South Korea’s military-backed governments, where officials periodically issued decrees allowing them to station combat troops, tanks, and armored vehicles on the streets or in public areas like schools in order to quell anti-government protests. Until Tuesday night, South Korea has not witnessed such military intervention spectacles since gaining democracy in the late 1980s.
Hours of drama at the parliament
Following Yoon’s declaration, military helicopters hovered overhead and landed close to the National Assembly as troops armed with assault weapons and other full battle gear attempted to keep demonstrators away. A woman was among the demonstrators outside the building calling for the lifting of martial law when one soldier aimed his assault rifle at her.
The 190 legislators’ ability to enter a legislative chamber and vote against Yoon’s martial law proclamation was unclear. Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Won Shik and opposition leader Lee Jae-myung were spotted scaling barricades. Police and soldiers did not violently restrain or use force against others as they prevented some from entering.
There have been no significant reports of violence. Following the parliamentary vote to end martial law, the troops and police officers were subsequently observed departing the National Assembly’s premises. Woo stated: Despite our regrettable recollections of military takeovers, our people have undoubtedly watched today’s events and witnessed the military’s maturity.
The president of South Korea may impose martial law in times of war, warlike conditions, or other similar national emergencies that call for the use of military force to impose restrictions on the freedom of the press, assembly, and other rights in order to preserve order, according to the country’s constitution. Many analysts wonder if South Korea is in this situation right now.
According to the constitution, if the National Assembly passes a majority vote calling for the lifting of martial law, the president is required to comply.
According to a presidential official, Yoon chose to declare martial law in order to break a political impasse, and he did so in the middle of the night to reduce the economic damage. In order to address the delicate nature of the matter, the official asked to remain anonymous.
According to several scholars, Yoon’s imposition of martial law was a blatant violation of the constitution. The constitution forbids restricting the functions of parliament, even though martial law permits exceptional measures to limit individual liberties and the power of agencies and tribunals. However, in response to Yoon’s announcement on Tuesday, the South Korean military announced that parliamentary operations would be halted and sent troops to attempt to bar members from entering the National Assembly.
The floor leader of the Democratic Party, Park Chan-dae, demanded that Yoon be looked into right away on charges of rebellion for the way he sent military to the chamber. Although the president is generally immune from prosecution while in office, treason and rebellion accusations are not covered.
The White House in Washington stated that the events in Seoul were a major source of concern for the United States. According to a National Security Council spokesperson, President Joe Biden’s administration was in communication with the South Korean government and was not informed beforehand of the declaration of martial law.
The streets of Seoul appeared to be bustling on a typical Wednesday.
Stephen Rowan, an Australian tourist from Brisbane who was visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace, expressed little anxiety.
However, he added, “I don’t know a lot about the political situation in Korea.” However, I’ve heard that they are now demanding the resignation of the present president, so it looks like there will be a lot more protests. If martial law had persisted, I would have been worried.
According to Natalia Slavney, research analyst at the Stimson Center’s 38 North website, which covers Korean politics, Yoon’s declaration of martial law was a significant democratic reversal that came after a concerning pattern of misuse since he assumed power in 2022.
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This item was written by Jennifer McDermott of the Associated Press.
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