South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung speaks during a press conference on removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol from office, at the party office at the National Assembly building in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

South Korea’s Opposition leader offered on Sunday (December 15, 2024) to work with the government to ease the political tumult as officials sought to reassure allies and markets, a day after the Opposition-controlled Parliament voted to impeach conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol over a short-lived attempt to impose martial law.

Liberal Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, whose party holds a majority in the National Assembly, urged the constitutional court to rule swiftly on Mr. Yoon’s impeachment and proposed a special council for cooperation between the government and Parliament.

Mr. Yoon’s powers have been suspended until the court decides whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. If Mr. Yoon is dismissed, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days.

Mr. Lee, who has led a fierce political offensive against Mr. Yoon’s embattled government, is seen as the frontrunner to replace him.

He told a televised news conference that a swift court ruling would be the only way to “minimise national confusion and the suffering of people.”

The court will meet to begin considering the case on Monday (December 16, 2024), and has up to 180 days to rule. But observers say that a court ruling could come faster. In the case of Parliamentary impeachments of past Presidents — Roh Moo-hyun in 2004 and Park Geun-hye in 2016, the court spent 63 days and 91 days respectively before determining to reinstate Roh and dismiss Mr. Park.

Mr. Lee also proposed a national council where the government and the National Assembly would work together to stabilise state affairs, and said his party won’t seek to impeach the Prime Minister, a Mr. Yoon appointee who’s now serving as acting President.

“The Democratic Party will actively cooperate with all parties to stabilize state affairs and restore international trust,” Mr. Lee said. “The National Assembly and government will work together to quickly resolve the crisis that has swept across the Republic of Korea.”

It wasn’t immediately clear how the governing People Power Party would react to Mr. Lee’s proposal. Kim Woong, a former PPP lawmaker, accused Mr. Lee of attempting to exert power over state affairs.

The Democratic Party has used its Parliamentary majority to impeach the Justice Minister and the chief of the national police over the martial law decree, and previously said it was also considering impeaching Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.

There was no immediate response from Mr. Han, a seasoned bureaucrat.

Upon assuming his role as acting leader, Mr. Han ordered the military to bolster its security posture to prevent North Korea from launching provocations. He also asked the Foreign Minister to inform other countries that South Korea’s major external policies will remain unchanged, and the Finance Minister to work to minimise potential negative impacts on the economy by the political turmoil.

On Sunday (Dec. 15), Mr. Han had a phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden, discussing the political situation in South Korea and regional security challenges including North Korea’s nuclear program. Mr. Biden expressed his appreciation for the resiliency of democracy in South Korea and reaffirmed “the ironclad commitment” of the United States, according to both governments.

Mr. Yoon’s Dec. 3 imposition of martial law, the first of its kind in more than four decades, lasted only six hours, but has caused massive political tumult, halted diplomatic activities and rattled financial markets. Mr. Yoon was forced to lift his decree after Parliament unanimously voted to overturn it.

Mr. Yoon sent hundreds of troops and police officers to the Parliament in an effort to stop the vote, but they withdrew after the Parliament rejected Mr. Yoon’s decree. No major violence occurred.

Opposition parties have accused Mr. Yoon of rebellion, saying a President in South Korea is allowed to declare martial law only during wartime or similar emergencies and would have no right to suspend Parliament’s operations even in those cases.

Mr. Yoon has rejected the charges and vowed to “fight to the end”. He said the deployment of troops to Parliament was aimed to issue a warning to the Democratic Party, which he called an “anti-state force” that abused its control of Parliament by holding up the government’s budget bill for next year and repeatedly pushing to impeach top officials.

Law enforcement institutions are investigating possible rebellion and other allegations. They’ve arrested Mr. Yoon’s Defence Minister and police chief and two other high-level figures.

Mr. Yoon has immunity from most criminal prosecution as President, but that doesn’t extend to allegations of rebellion or treason. He’s been banned from leaving South Korea, but observers doubt that authorities will detain him because of the potential for clashes with his Presidential security service.

Mr. Lee called for authorities to speed up their probes and said that an independent investigation by a special prosecutor should be launched as soon as possible. Last week, the National Assembly passed a law calling for an investigation led by a special prosecutor.

“Individuals and institutions involved in this act of rebellion should fully cooperate with the investigations,” Mr. Lee said.

South Korean lawmakers impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over martial law bid, suspending him from office after the declaration of martial law caused mass outrage and resulted in constitutional crisis.

Lawmakers voted on a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, as a parliament livestream showed.

204 lawmakers in the 300-member house voted in favour of the motion, while 85 voted against. 

Under the constitution, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will be the interim leader.

It will now be decided by the Constitutional Court on whether to reinstate or remove him. This could take up to six months.

On December 3rd, when the martial law was declared by President Yoon Suk Yeol, soldiers were sent to the National Assembly and the officer who led the soldiers said that they were ordered to forcibly remove lawmakers so they wouldn’t be able to reach the 150 votes they needed to overturn the law.

Yoon had declared martial law accusing the opposition of paralysing the government. However, the declaration was voted down and the law rescinded within hours of its imposition.

Last Saturday, Yoon survived an impeachment motion after People Power Party lawmakers boycotted a floor vote but on Saturday some members of his own party helped pass the motion to impeach.

There has not been any immediate reaction from the Yoon, though he was watching the vote from his residence in Seoul as per KBS, the national broadcaster.

Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the opposition Democratic Party, said, “This is a victory for the South Korean people and for democracy.”

Yoon also faces criminal investigations because of his decision to impose the martial law.

Yoon had survived an impeachment vote last week.

A screen in Seoul shows footage of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol delivering an address to the nation on December 7, 2024
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

South Korea’s president apologised Saturday (December 7, 2024) for public anxiety caused by his short-lived attempt to impose martial law earlier this week hours ahead of a parliamentary vote on impeaching him.

Mr. Yoon said in a brief televised address Saturday morning he would not shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promised not to make another attempt to impose it. He said he would leave it to his conservative political party to chart a course through the country’s political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office.”

South Korean lawmakers are set to vote later Saturday on impeaching President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived attempt to impose martial law, as protests grew nationwide calling for his removal.

ALSO READ | Timeline of South Korea’s martial law declaration

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the motion submitted by opposition lawmakers would get the two-thirds majority required for Mr. Yoon to be impeached. But it appeared more likely after the leader of Mr. Yoon’s own party on Friday called for suspending his constitutional powers, describing him as unfit to hold the office and capable of taking more extreme action, including renewed attempts to impose martial law.

Support required for impeachment

Impeaching Mr. Yoon would require support from 200 of the National Assembly’s 300 members. The opposition parties that jointly brought the impeachment motion have 192 seats combined.

That means they would need at least eight votes from Mr. Yoon’s People Power Party. On Wednesday, 18 members of the PPP joined a vote that unanimously cancelled martial law 190-0 less than three hours after Mr. Yoon declared the measure on television, calling the opposition-controlled parliament a “den of criminals” bogging down state affairs. The vote took place as hundreds of heavily-armed troops encircled the National Assembly in an attempt to disrupt the vote and possibly to detain key politicians.

Parliament said Saturday that it would meet at 5 p.m. It will first vote on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate influence peddling allegations surrounding Mr. Yoon’s wife, and then on impeaching Mr. Yoon.

EDITORIAL | Costly miscalculation: On the South Korean President’s announcement of martial law

The turmoil resulting from Mr. Yoon’s bizarre and poorly-thought-out stunt has paralysed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners, including neighbouring Japan and Seoul’s top ally the United States, as one of the strongest democracies in Asia faces a political crisis that could unseat its leader.

Opposition lawmakers claim that Mr. Yoon’s martial law declaration amounted to a self-coup and drafted the impeachment motion around rebellion charges.

PPP opposes impeachment

The PPP decided to oppose impeachment at a lawmakers’ meeting, despite pleas by its leader Han Dong-hun, who isn’t a lawmaker and has no vote.

Following a party meeting on Friday, Mr. Han stressed the need to suspend Mr. Yoon’s presidential duties and power swiftly, saying he “could potentially put the Republic of Korea and its citizens in great danger.”

Mr. Han said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Mr. Yoon ordered the country’s defense counterintelligence commander to arrest and detain unspecified key politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities.”

Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, later told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing that Mr. Yoon called after imposing martial law and ordered him to help the defence counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians. The targeted politicians included Han, opposition leader Lee Jae-myung and National Assembly speaker Woo Won Shik, according to Kim Byung-kee, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting.

The Defence Ministry said it had suspended the defence counterintelligence commander, Yeo In-hyung, who Mr. Han alleged had received orders from Mr. Yoon to detain the politicians. The ministry also suspended Lee Jin-woo, commander of the Capital Defense Command, and Kwak Jong-geun, commander of the Special Warfare Command, over their involvement in enforcing martial law.

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, who has been accused of recommending Mr. Yoon to enforce martial law, has been placed under a travel ban and faces an investigation by prosecutors over rebellion charges.

Vice Defence Minister Kim Seon Ho, who became acting defence minister after Mr. Yoon accepted Kim Yong Hyun’s resignation on Thursday, has testified to parliament that it was Kim Yong Hyun who ordered troops to be deployed to the National Assembly after Mr. Yoon imposed martial law.

After making an effort to suspend civilian rule in South Korea and impose martial law, President Yoon Suk Yeol stands facing impeachment. But that’s not the only downfall the country has witnessed. Previous leaders have seen their rule descend into disorder and tumult.

Here’s a recap of the collapse of previous South Korean leaders:

Park Geun-hye – Impeached and jailed

In 2016, Park Geun-hye, South Korea’s first female president, was impeached by Parliament and later imprisoned. Park, the daughter of former dictator Park Chung-hee, had been in office since 2013 and had touted herself as incorruptible. However, she faced accusations of accepting or soliciting tens of millions of dollars from conglomerates like Samsung. Additional allegations included leaking classified documents, blacklisting artists critical of her policies, and dismissing officials who opposed her.

Park’s impeachment was confirmed by the Constitutional Court in March 2017, leading to her indictment and imprisonment. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison and hefty fines in 2021, but received a pardon from her successor, President Moon Jae-in, later that year. Interestingly, the current president, Yoon, played a crucial role in Park’s dismissal and imprisonment as a Seoul prosecutor at the time.

Lee Myung-bak – 15 years in prison

Lee Myung-bak, the conservative predecessor of Park Geun-hye, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in October 2018 for corruption. He was found guilty of accepting bribes from Samsung in exchange for favours to the company’s then-chairman, Lee Kun-hee, who had been convicted of tax evasion. However, Lee Myung-bak’s prison term was cut short when he received a pardon from President Yoon in December 2022.

Roh Moo-hyun – Died by suicide

Roh Moo-hyun, the former President of South Korea from 2003 to 2008, tragically took his own life in May 2009 by jumping off a cliff. This devastating event occurred while he was under investigation for allegedly receiving bribes from a wealthy shoe manufacturer, totaling $6 million, which was paid to his wife and the husband of one of his nieces.

Chun Doo-hwan – “Butcher of Gwangju”

Chun Doo-hwan, the notorious military strongman known for his brutal suppression of the Gwangju uprising also known as the “Butcher of Gwangju”, stepped down in 1987 amidst massive protests. He handed over power to his protégé Roh Tae-woo, with whom he had a decades-long relationship dating back to their time as classmates at military academy during the Korean War.

However, their legacy was marred by corruption and violence. In 1996, both Chun and Roh were convicted of treason for their roles in the 1979 coup that brought Chun to power, as well as the Gwangju uprising and other offenses. Chun was initially sentenced to death, but his sentence was commuted to life in prison. Roh received a 22.5-year prison sentence, which was later reduced to 17 years. Despite their convictions, both men were granted amnesty in 1998 after serving only two years in prison.

Park Chung-hee – Assassinated

Park Chung-hee, South Korea’s dictator, was assassinated on October 26, 1979, by Kim Jae-gyu, his own spy chief, during a private dinner.

This shocking event has been the subject of intense debate in South Korea, with many questioning whether the murder was premeditated.

In the aftermath of Park’s death, army generals Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo seized the opportunity to plot a coup in December 1979, further plunging South Korea into political turmoil.

Yun Po-sun: Overthrown in coup

In 1961, President Yun Po-sun was ousted in a military coup orchestrated by army officer Park Chung-hee. Although Yun was initially allowed to remain in office, Park effectively seized control of the government. Park later solidified his power by winning the 1963 election, ultimately replacing Yun as president.

Syngman Rhee – Forced to resign

South Korea’s first president, Syngman Rhee, was forced to resign in 1960 due to a massive student-led uprising. The protests were sparked by Rhee’s attempt to extend his term through rigged elections, which ignited widespread outrage and calls for his removal.

Following his resignation, Rhee was exiled to Hawaii, where he spent the remainder of his life until his death in 1965.

On December 3 at 10:25 pm Korean Standard Time (KST), surprising news shocked the world as reports spread across social media announcing the imposition of Martial Law by the President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. The announcement was a shock for most South Koreans, who had long enjoyed the benefits of democracy and had only studied the imposition of martial law in history lessons.

The news prompted lawmakers and citizens to gather at the National Assembly, where the opposition, led by Lee Jae-myung, head of the Democratic Party, entered the assembly to vote on the president’s decision. Armed troops attempted to enter the building, jostling with lawmakers and staff, but were unsuccessful in halting proceedings, which led to a vote rejecting the martial law. Following the National Assembly’s decision, the President was forced to lift martial law at 4:40 am KST on December 4, after an ordeal lasting six hours.

While the declaration of emergency martial law was a surprise, it was not entirely unexpected. Many experts had already discussed the possibility of martial law being implemented, particularly after the recent appointment of close allies to Yoon’s cabinet. This raised suspicions about the likelihood of a ‘palace coup’. But what led to this extreme measure?

Reaction To Intensifying Pressure

President Yoon’s administration has been mired in allegations of corruption and misgovernance since 2022. For example, his handling of the doctors’ protest and the Itaewon crowd disaster has faced widespread condemnation from both the opposition and the public. In addition to governance issues, the First Lady has become a focal point, having been accused of corruption, scandals, and exerting undue influence within the presidential office. However, the situation grew more serious after the April National Assembly elections, when the opposition secured a majority, making it difficult for the president’s party to pass legislation and conduct normal proceedings.

The likely reason behind Yoon’s extreme step was the growing pressure from all sides, including the Democratic Party (DP), the public, and his own party. This pressure intensified in September when the 22nd Assembly’s first regular session began. Following that, Yoon faced increasing partisan strife as the assembly turned hostile, repeatedly demanding accountability from the president over actions taken against the First Lady. Just last week, the president vetoed a bill passed by the opposition for the third time, calling for a special counsel investigation into corruption charges against the First Lady. The tension between the president and the legislature also coincided with his declining popularity.

In his public address declaring martial law, he stated, “I declare martial law to protect the Republic of Korea from the threats of North Korean communist forces, to immediately eradicate the unscrupulous pro-Pyongyang antistate forces that pillage the freedom and happiness of our people, and to protect free constitutional order.” He described the opposition’s decision to block the National Assembly from functioning as a “legislature dictatorship”, which had paralysed the administration and sabotaged state functions. The speech highlighted his frustration with the opposition in the country.

With rising allegations against his wife and his falling popularity, the president also faced increasing pressure from within his party, particularly from Han Dong-hoon, the People Power Party (PPP) leader who publicly urged the president to take action. Sensing that he was losing support from the public and the party, and that the opposition’s tactics were succeeding, he may have felt compelled to take this drastic step, which was supported only by a select few in the cabinet. As reported by the media, the Chungam Faction—a small group of close aides, including the president and the Defence Minister—took the decision without consulting the Prime Minister or the party. This indicates that the president felt he had no choice but to declare martial law to save his presidency.

What Lies Ahead for Yoon and His Party?

After the martial law was lifted, the entire cabinet offered to resign en masse. Several senior officials in the presidential offices, including the Presidential Chief of Staff, National Security Adviser, Chief of Staff for Policy, and seven others, have already submitted their resignations. The ruling party, PPP, has apologised for the president’s decision, stating, “As the ruling party, we deeply apologise to the public for this distressing situation”, while its leader, Han Dong-hoon, has called for immediate action against Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who was instrumental in making the decision alongside the president.

In contrast, the DP, the opposition, has not relented. It has doubled down after this incident and resolved to initiate impeachment proceedings against President Yoon if he refuses to resign immediately, calling his decision a “clear violation of the constitution” and further stating that it constitutes “a serious act of rebellion and a perfect reason for impeachment”.

While the impeachment process may take some time, beginning in the National Assembly and then moving through the Constitutional Court, the first leg of the process is expected to proceed swiftly. Six parties, led by the opposition DP, have already submitted the impeachment bill yesterday, which will be listed today. The impeachment procedure requires a majority to propose a motion and support from two-thirds of the National Assembly for it to pass. Although the DP holds 170 seats in the assembly, it still requires 200 votes to secure the motion. Even with the support of smaller parties, such as the New Reform Party, the number reaches only 192—eight short of the expected total. Even if the motion passes through the National Assembly, the judicial process is likely to take much longer due to the procedural requirements for the Constitutional Court.

Furthermore, the opposition is expected to push for a serious investigation into the procedures surrounding the declaration of martial law, including examining the process behind the summoning of state council meetings for approval, with a view to supporting insurrection charges against the president. Nonetheless, what is certain is that the president’s political career is likely over as a result of this decision. It will also have a significant impact on the prospects of his party, which was already plagued by serious allegations and internal conflict before this incident.

However, it remains to be seen whether the PPP, the ruling party, will oppose the president’s impeachment, which, if it does, will further damage the party’s reputation. On the other hand, adopting a ‘keep-at-arm’s-length’ approach by distancing itself from the president may help it save face. From this incident, which lasted only six hours, one thing is clear: this political drama has showcased South Korea’s remarkable democratic resilience.

(Abhishek Sharma is a Research Assistant with ORF and a PhD Candidate in Korean Studies at Delhi University.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

Seoul:

The Korean term for “martial law” was the most-searched word on Google in South Korea on Wednesday, following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived declaration of martial law.

The word topped Google’s trends chart with the search volume over the past 24 hours surpassing the 2 million mark, up more than a thousand percent from a day ago.

“Currency exchange rate” and “Kim Yong-hyun,” the name of the South Korean defense minister who reportedly proposed declaring the martial law to the president, ranked second and third on the trends chart, respectively, reports Yonhap news agency.

Yoon declared martial law late on Tuesday night, accusing the opposition of paralyzing the government with “anti-state activities,” but lifted it hours later after the National Assembly voted to call for its end.

With the nation in shock over the incident, the news page of South Korea’s largest internet portal, Naver, saw all-time high traffic overnight, according to its operator.

The surge briefly disrupted some of its functions, but service was quickly normalised.

Meanwhile, Yeol on Wednesday held a meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and leaders of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) to discuss follow-up measures after opposition parties submitted an impeachment motion in response to the short-lived martial law declaration.

Prime Minister Han, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon and floor leader Choo Kyung-ho convened at the presidential office just hours after the opposition submitted the motion, following the National Assembly’s rejection of the martial law declaration earlier in the day.

“They seriously discussed the current situation, and there was no difference in opinions,” a senior presidential official said, adding Yoon’s potential departure from the party was not a topic of discussion during the meeting.

The main opposition Democratic Party and five other minor parties plan to report the motion to a parliamentary plenary session on Thursday and put it up for a vote as early as Friday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

South Korea lifts President’s martial law

| Video Credit:
The Hindu

Hours after imposing martial law in South Korea, President Yoon Suk Yeol lifted it early on December 4. This was after a tense night of political drama in which troops surrounded the parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule.

Mr. Yoon had declared martial law late on December 3, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces. He has been struggling against an opposition that controls the country’s parliament and that he accuses of sympathising with North Korea.

Less than three hours after imposing martial law, parliament voted to lift the declaration, with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik declaring that the martial law was “invalid”.

Seoul:

The lawmakers of South Korea’s opposition coalition on Wednesday moved a motion in the Asian country’s Parliament to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol after his shocking imposition of martial law that brought thousands of protesters to the streets.

SEOUL:

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is facing the threat of impeachment, with opposition lawmakers accusing him of violating his constitutional duty and committing a crime akin to treason when he declared martial law on Tuesday.

Yoon lifted the martial law declaration before dawn on Wednesday, just hours after opposition-controlled parliament rejected his attempt to ban political activity and censor the media.

Below are details of the presidential impeachment process and past presidents who were impeached.

What Is The Law?

The Constitution provides for parliament to bring an impeachment motion against the president or other high-ranking public officials if they are believed to “have violated the Constitution or any law in the performance of official duties.”

The presidential impeachment motion needs a two-thirds majority vote by the members of the single-chamber parliament to pass. A simple majority is needed to impeach other officials.

The Constitutional Court conducts a trial to either confirm or reject the impeachment motion, hearing evidence from parliament to determine whether the president violated the law.

Does The Opposition Have The Votes?

Parliament is currently controlled by the main opposition Democratic Party, which has vowed to impeach Yoon. The party and other smaller parties have 192 seats, just short of the 200 required to impeach the president.

Some members of Yoon’s ruling People Power Party have strongly objected to his martial law declaration, but it was not clear if or how many of them will join the opposition if a motion is brought to a vote.

Yoon was already facing calls for impeachment and special investigations into a scandal involving his wife.

Is The Parliament Vote All That’s Needed?

If parliament votes to impeach, the president is suspended from exercising his powers until the result of an impeachment trial held by the Constitutional Court. The prime minister serves as leader in acting capacity.

The Constitutional Court hears oral arguments from the chair of parliament’s justice committee and from the public official or their legal counsel.

The Court has up to six months to confirm the impeachment by a vote of six out of the nine justices, or reject the motion.

The Court currently has six sitting justices with three posts to be filled. It has waived the requirement of seven justices to deliberate cases, but it was not clear if it would take up the impeachment motion without the full nine justices.

What Happens If The President Is Removed From Office?

A new presidential election must be held within 60 days.

The same would apply if Yoon resigns – the prime minister takes over in an acting capacity and a new election is held within 60 days.

In May 2017, a presidential election was held after the Constitutional Court’s ruling to confirm then-President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment on March 9.

Daughter Of Slain President Is Sole Impeached President

Park was the first democratically elected leader to be ousted from office, accused of colluding with a confidant in an influence peddling scheme and abusing her presidential authority.

Parliament voted to impeach her in December 2016, with some members of her own conservative party voting in favour.

Park is a daughter of former President Park Chung-hee who was assassinated in 1979.

She was later tried separately on criminal charges and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. She served almost five years before being released on medical grounds and was then pardoned in 2021.

Roh Moo-Hyun

In 2004, then-President Roh Moo-hyun was impeached on the charge of failing to maintain political neutrality as required of a high public official.

The motion was rejected by the Constitutional Court and Roh was restored to serve a full five-year term.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)