South Korean Parliament Rejects Impeachment Motion Against President Yoon
Seoul, The Gulf Observer: An attempt to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol over his contentious imposition of martial law failed on Saturday after the ruling conservative party largely boycotted the vote in the National Assembly.
The impeachment motion, brought forward by opposition parties critical of Yoon’s brief invocation of martial law, required the support of two-thirds of the 300-member Assembly, equating to 200 votes. While opposition parties held 192 seats, only three lawmakers from Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) participated in the vote, leaving the motion short of the necessary threshold. The motion was ultimately dismissed without ballot counting due to insufficient participation.
Growing Public Backlash
The defeat of the impeachment motion is expected to fuel public protests demanding Yoon’s resignation. A recent survey indicates that a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment, reflecting widespread discontent over his martial law decision.
President Yoon’s martial law declaration, though brief, drew sharp criticism from both opposition and ruling party lawmakers, who questioned its necessity and proportionality. Despite this, the PPP has resisted impeachment efforts, reportedly fearing the potential political fallout of losing the presidency to liberal opposition forces.
Political Implications
The ruling party’s decision to boycott the vote highlights internal divisions and strategic calculations within South Korea’s political landscape. Analysts suggest the incident could deepen public frustration and erode the governing party’s standing ahead of future elections.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders have vowed to continue their efforts to hold Yoon accountable, framing the martial law declaration as an abuse of executive power.
The failure of the impeachment motion leaves South Korea at a political crossroads, with growing civil unrest signaling escalating challenges for President Yoon’s administration.
