Opposition in South Korea submits impeachment motion against President Yoon over martial law

Seoul: In a bold move, opposition parties in South Korea have introduced a motion in the National Assembly to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol. The bill, presented by a coalition of six opposition parties including the Democratic Party, aims to hold President Yoon accountable following his recent declaration of martial law, which was met with swift rejection by the legislature.

The call for Yoon’s resignation gained momentum on Wednesday, with protesters gathering outside the National Assembly, demanding his step down. This comes after President Yoon’s controversial decision to impose martial law, which he later rescinded after a majority of MPs voted against it. The sudden declaration of martial law, which was only in place for a matter of hours, was blocked by a vote from 190 parliamentarians, who defied the president's order.

The situation escalated on Tuesday, shortly after Yoon's surprise announcement of "emergency martial law," when military personnel attempted to enter the National Assembly building. The president’s televised speech accused opposition members of supporting North Korea and obstructing government functions. In response, opposition leaders, alongside parliamentary aides, attempted to prevent the soldiers from entering by spraying fire extinguishers.

Within hours of the declaration, the National Assembly voted to invalidate the martial law, with Speaker Woo Won Shik reaffirming that the parliament would defend democracy. The speaker called for the withdrawal of military and police forces from the assembly grounds. According to South Korean constitutional law, a martial law declaration must be reviewed by the cabinet and passed by the National Assembly, which can also call for its repeal by majority vote.

President Yoon's decision to impose martial law followed rising tensions between his conservative People Power Party and the opposition Democratic Party. The dispute over the upcoming budget bill and the impeachment of three top prosecutors contributed to the political standoff, leading to the controversial move to impose military control. Martial law would have suspended civilian legal processes and replaced them with military rule, suspending civil liberties for the duration of its enforcement.