Motion Launched to Impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Following Martial Law Declaration

A motion has been introduced to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol following his unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law.

On Tuesday, December 3, the president issued a brief martial law order, plunging the country into political chaos.

However, within hours, he was compelled to withdraw the order after a tense confrontation with parliament, which rejected his efforts to suppress political activity and censor the media.

The future of Yoon, who was elected president in 2022, is now in serious doubt.

On Wednesday, South Korea’s opposition parties initiated impeachment proceedings against the president by filing a motion to remove him from office.

‘We’ve submitted an impeachment motion prepared urgently,’ representatives for six opposition parties including the main Democratic Party said at a live press briefing.

They added that they would discuss when to put it to a vote, but it could come as soon as Friday.

“We can no longer allow democracy to collapse. The lives and safety of the people must be protected,” said Kim Yong-jin, a member of the Democratic party’s central committee.

The party also expressed its intention to charge Yoon with “crimes of rebellion.”

It identified Minister Kim Yong-hyun and Interior Minister Lee Sang-min as “key participants” in the martial law declaration and stated that it sought to charge them alongside Yoon.

While schools, banks, and government offices in Seoul are functioning normally, protests have persisted across the city.