The conservative party of embattled South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol faces a quandary: How do members distance themselves from an unpopular leader without handing a big win to their political opponents. 

For now, they are trying to accomplish that by blocking Yoon’s impeachment in a vote set to take place in the coming days over his imposition of martial law earlier this week, while also asking him to quit the People Power Party, or PPP. 

Han Dong-hoon, the party’s leader, sought to thread that needle in a meeting with colleagues on Thursday, saying he condemned Yoon’s “unconstitutional martial law” while also saying he needs to think about “the hearts of my supporters as a conservative politician.”

“As the leader of the party, I will endeavor to ensure that this impeachment is not passed to prevent the damage to the people and supporters caused by the unprepared chaos,” Han said. 

For the impeachment motion to be successful, the opposition Democratic Party – which controls parliament after a big win in April legislative elections – needs only eight of the 108 lawmakers in the PPP to switch sides and vote to remove Yoon. Local newspaper Donga Ilbo reported Friday that at least five members of the party are still undecided.

For many conservative lawmakers, it makes more sense to position themselves to win an election down the road rather than triggering an early vote next year in which they could get battered. Although Yoon is unpopular, with a 17% approval rating even before the martial law fiasco, voting him out now would only help the political fortunes of the Democratic Party and Han’s main rival for the presidency, Lee Jae-myung.

“For lawmakers, the single most important consideration in all of this is how they can prolong their life,” said Shin Yul, a political science professor at Seoul’s Myongji University. “The ruling party members are weighing the pros and cons, and they’ll probably think that they have more to gain by voting against impeachment this time.”

Lee, the opposition leader, acknowledged that dynamic in an interview with Bloomberg on Thursday, saying that it may be difficult to get the votes from the ruling party this week. Still, he said the Democratic Party would continue pushing for the president’s ouster even if he survives the initial impeachment motion. 

“He will be impeached – the only question is whether he will be ousted the day after tomorrow, a week after, or a month or three later,” Lee said. 

Lee Jae-myung, center, and other party members hold protest signs demanding the resignation of Yoon at the National Assembly in Seoul. Photo Credit: Bloomberg

For the PPP, its recent history is helping to shape its decision-making. Some conservative lawmakers who supported the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye in 2016 later suffered from a negative public image for appearing to betray her.

In the wake of that scandal, the conservative bloc rebranded as the PPP. Despite some internal opposition, the party recruited the outsider Yoon – a former prosecutor who helped convict Park – to help clean up its image. 

Instead, the party is now looking to avoid another prolonged period in the political wilderness. While Yoon has become politically toxic, he backs a tough line on North Korea and pro-business policies that attract conservative voters.

‘I Will Take Charge’

By blocking the initial impeachment vote, conservative lawmakers can look to appeal to their base while they work to cut ties with Yoon himself. And Han, who is also a former prosecutor and a relative political novice, can use the time to consolidate power. 

Han’s faction of the PPP has about 20 lawmakers, and they were among those who joined with the opposition in the early-morning hours of Wednesday to vote down the martial law order. He’s now looking to convince the other members of the party, many of whom sit in the middle between him and Yoon, to move over to his camp.

“I met with the president yesterday, but his perception of the situation was very different from mine and the people’s, and it was difficult to empathize with him,” Han told his colleagues on Thursday. He asked for their support, adding: “I will take charge and take the lead to fix this situation.”

While the left-leaning opposition leader Lee was confident that Yoon would eventually be impeached, others in his party were worried that pushing for impeachment too fast allowed the conservatives to gain momentum. 

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Woo Sang-ho, who led the passage of the impeachment bill against former leader Park, told local newspaper Donga Ilbo that the opposition should’ve taken the time to woo conservatives and build public support for ousting Yoon.

“The political power has a mission to clean up the national mess and organize the country,” the newspaper cited Woo as saying, referring to the opposition. “And if it treats the impeachment of the president like a political battle, it may blow this opportunity and not succeed.”

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

Protesters are blocked by police officers as they try to march to the presidential office after a candlelight vigil against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

South Korea’s President accepted the resignation of his Defence Minister on Thursday (December 5, 2024) as opposition parties moved to impeach both men over the stunning yet short-lived imposition of martial law that brought armed troops into Seoul streets.

The main opposition Democratic Party and other small opposition parties submitted a joint motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday over his martial law declaration the previous night. Martial law lasted about six hours, as the National Assembly quickly voted to overrule the President, forcing his Cabinet to lift it before daybreak Wednesday.

On Thursday, Mr. Yoon replaced Defence Minister Kim Yong Hyun with Choi Byung Hyuk, a retired four-star general who is South Korea’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mr. Yoon’s office said.

It didn’t provide any further comments by Mr. Yoon. He hasn’t made any public appearances since he announced in a televised address that his government was lifting the martial law declaration.

The opposition parties earlier submitted a separate motion to impeach Mr. Kim, alleging he recommended Mr. Yoon impose martial law. On Wednesday, Mr. Kim offered to resign and apologised for causing disruption and concern to the public. Mr. Kim said “all troops who performed duties related to martial law were acting on my instructions, and all responsibility lies with me,” according to the Defence Ministry.

The impeachment motion on Mr. Yoon was introduced at a parliamentary plenary session early Thursday, meaning it can be put to a vote between Friday and Sunday. By law, the motion will be scrapped if it isn’t voted within 72 hours of its parliamentary introduction. Opposition parties can submit a new impeachment motion if the current one is scrapped or voted down, according to National Assembly officials.

Prospects for Mr. Yoon’s impeachment aren’t clear as Mr. Yoon’s ruling conservative People Power Party decided Thursday to oppose the motion’s passage. Choo Kyung-ho, the floor leader of the PPP, told reporters that his party would hold another meeting to determine how to oppose the motion’s passage. Observers say PPP members could simply boycott a floor vote or cast ballots against the motion.

Impeaching him would require support from two-thirds of the single-chamber National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members. The opposition parties together have 192 seats and they need additional votes from the PPP. Some experts earlier said the motion will likely be passed through parliament as 18 PPP lawmakers, who belong to an anti-Yoon faction in the party, already voted down Mr. Yoon’s martial law decree together with opposition lawmakers.

But speaking to reporters Thursday, PPP leader Han Dong-hun, head of the anti-Yoon faction, said he would work to ensure that the impeachment motion doesn’t pass though he remains critical of Mr. Yoon’s action, which he described as “unconstitutional.” Han said that there is a need to “prevent damage to citizens and supporters caused by unprepared chaos.”

Experts say rival factions in PPP could unite not to repeat their traumatic experiences following the 2016 impeachment of scandal-ridden conservative President Park Geun-hye, which happened after some lawmakers at her own party voted to impeach her. Mr. Park was eventually removed from office and arrested in 2017, and the liberals easily won the presidency in a by-election as conservatives remained in disarray.

If Mr. Yoon is impeached, he will be deprived of his constitutional powers until the Constitutional Court rules. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who holds the No. 2 position in the South Korean government, would take over presidential responsibilities.

The impeachment motion on Mr. Yoon accuses him of attempting a “self-coup” by mobilising the military. It also says Mr. Yoon’s declaration failed to meet the constitutional requirements that such steps should only be considered in severe crisis situations. The motion also argues that his move to declare a suspension of political party activities and deploy troops in an attempt to seal the National Assembly amounted to rebellion.

Mr. Yoon’s martial law declaration, the first of its kind in more than 40 years, harkened back to South Korea’s past military-backed governments when authorities occasionally proclaimed martial law and other decrees that allowed them to station soldiers, tanks and armoured vehicles on streets or at public places such as schools to prevent anti-government demonstrations. Until Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, such scenes of military intervention had not been seen since South Korea achieved a democracy in the late 1980s.

After Mr. Yoon’s declaration, troops carrying full battle gear, including assault rifles, tried to keep protesters away from the National Assembly as military helicopters flew overhead and landed nearby.

It wasn’t clear how the 190 lawmakers were able to enter a parliamentary hall to vote down Mr. Yoon’s martial law decree. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung and National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik were seen climbing over walls. As troops and police officers blocked some from entering, they didn’t aggressively restrain or use force against others.

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.)

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol has consistently taken a firm stance against nuclear-armed North Korea.
| Photo Credit: AP

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol called on March 1 for the international community to back “unification efforts” after Pyongyang earlier this year declared Seoul its “principal enemy”.

Ties between the two Koreas have been in a deep freeze as Pyongyang accelerates its weapons development programmes and Seoul ramps up military cooperation with Washington and Tokyo.

Mr. Yoon, who has consistently taken a firm stance against nuclear-armed North Korea, has rarely discussed the topic of unification since assuming office in 2022.

“Our unification efforts must become a source of hope and a beacon of light for the people of North Korea,” he said at a ceremony marking the anniversary of Korea’s 1919 uprising against Japanese colonial rule.

“We must come together on a path that leads ultimately to unification” of the Korean peninsula, he said, stressing that the international community “must pool its strength in a responsible manner”.

Mr. Yoon emphasised better ties with Tokyo were helping to counter the North’s ever-increasing military threats.

“The security cooperation between the two countries against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats has been strengthened further,” he said, adding that the countries were “working together to overcome the painful past”.

Last month, the North Korean leader’s powerful sister Kim Yo Jong said her country would be open to improving ties with Tokyo, even hinting at a possible future invitation to Pyongyang for Japan’s leader.

Her comments came after Kim Jong Un said in December that he would no longer seek reconciliation and reunification with the South, blaming Seoul and Washington for creating an “uncontrollable crisis”.

This year, North Korea conducted live-fire drills near the contested maritime border, prompting counter drills by the South and evacuation orders on two islands.

Pyongyang also declared South Korea its “principal enemy” and threatened war over “even 0.001 millimetres” of territorial infringement.

Mr. Yoon responded by telling his military to “act first, report later” if provoked by Pyongyang.

In the event of an attack, he said Seoul will hit back “multiple times stronger”.

The isolated North has shut agencies dedicated to promoting reunification and fostering communication with Seoul.

“The tyranny and human rights abuses of the North Korean regime deny the universal values of humanity,” Mr. Yoon said on Friday.

South Korea is gearing up for a crucial election on April 10, with Mr. Yoon’s conservative party hoping to regain a parliamentary majority for the first time since 2016.

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol sounded a warning to fellow world leaders on September 21 about the recent communication and possible cooperation between North Korea and Russia, saying any action by a permanent U.N. Security Council member to circumvent international norms would be dangerous and “paradoxical.”

Speaking before the U.N. General Assembly, Yoon Suk Yeol invoked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s visit last week to Russia, which is one of the five permanent members of the council, the U.N.’s most powerful body.

Kim met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia’s far east. The two said they may cooperate on defence issues but gave no specifics, which left South Korea and its allies — including the United States — uneasy.

South Korea keen on joining Quad, talks on upgrading CEPA underway: envoy

“It is paradoxical that a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, entrusted as the ultimate guardian of world peace, would wage war by invading another sovereign nation and receive arms and ammunition from a regime that blatantly violates Security Council resolutions,” Yoon told fellow leaders on the second day of the U.N. General Assembly’s annual gathering of leaders. He had been expected to raise the issue.

Yoon said that if North Korea “acquires the information and technology necessary” to enhance its weapons of mass destruction in exchange for giving conventional weapons to Russia, that would also be unacceptable to the South.

“Such a deal between Russia and the DPRK will be a direct provocation threatening the peace and security of not only Ukraine but also the Republic of Korea,” he said, using the acronym for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. “The Republic of Korea, together with its allies and partners, will not stand idly by.” South Korea has expressed support for Ukraine, which is fighting a war against the 2022 Russian invasion of its territory. At the G20 summit in India earlier this month, Yoon said Seoul would contribute $300 million to Ukraine next year and — eventually — a support package worth more than $2 billion.

“The nuclear and missile programmes of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea pose not only a direct and existential threat to the peace of the Republic of Korea, but also (are) a serious challenge to peace in the Indo-Pacific region and across the globe,” Yoon said in his speech.

Foreign experts speculate that Russia and North Korea were pushing to reach arms transfer deals in violation of Security Council resolutions. Both countries are in major disputes with the West, and both are under international sanctions.

While Russian-North Korean cooperation is feared to fuel Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine, it has also encouraged unease in South Korea, where many think a Russian transfer of sophisticated weapons technologies would help North Korea acquire a functioning spy satellite, a nuclear-powered submarine and more powerful missiles.

On Tuesday, South Korean Vice-Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin summoned the Russian ambassador to Seoul, Andrey Kulik, and urged Moscow to immediately stop its military cooperation with North Korea, which he said would have a “very negative impact” on its relations with the South.

North Korea has been increasing its nuclear arsenal for years, ratcheting up tensions in the region as it threatens to use nuclear weapons in conflicts. It regularly conducts missile tests, particularly in the past year.

In response, Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden in April agreed to expand joint military exercises, increase the temporary deployments of U.S. strategic assets and launch a bilateral nuclear consultative group.