South Korea's Yoon Faces Second Impeachment Vote Amid Martial Law Crisis

Dec 12, 2024, 12:21 PM

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has vowed to “fight to the end” in the face of a second impeachment motion filed by opposition parties. The motion, set for a vote on December 14, follows Yoon's controversial declaration of martial law on December 3, which was quickly rescinded after parliamentary intervention. Yoon has defended his actions as necessary to protect democracy from what he described as “anti-state forces” and denied allegations of rebellion, asserting that his martial law decree was a legitimate act of governance. The political crisis has deepened with the arrest of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, accused of orchestrating the martial law, and ongoing investigations into Yoon and other officials for potential crimes including rebellion. The opposition, led by the Democratic Party, has criticized Yoon's speech as delusional and is pushing forward with the impeachment process, with some members of Yoon's own People Power Party (PPP) indicating support for the motion. Public protests have intensified, demanding Yoon's resignation, while the National Assembly has also moved to impeach and suspend the police chief and justice minister over their roles in the martial law enforcement. Yoon apologized for the anxiety caused by the martial law and suggested that North Korea might have hacked the country's elections.