South Korean President Yoon Faces Impeachment Vote on Saturday Amid Political Crisis

Dec 13, 2024, 09:00 AM

South Korea's political landscape is in turmoil as President Yoon Suk Yeol faces a second impeachment motion following his controversial declaration of martial law. The National Assembly is set to vote on this motion on Saturday, December 14, at 4:00 p.m. local time. The impeachment effort requires the support of at least eight members from Yoon's own conservative ruling party, the People's Power Party (PPP), to pass. Public opinion heavily favors the impeachment, with 75% of South Koreans supporting it according to a recent Gallup Korea poll, while Yoon's approval rating has plummeted to an all-time low of 11%. The crisis was triggered by Yoon's brief imposition of martial law, which was quickly overturned by parliament, leading to widespread criticism and calls for his resignation. Amidst this, the South Korean court issued arrest warrants for the heads of national and Seoul police agencies, Cho Ji-ho and Kim Bong-sik, for their roles in the martial law declaration. The opposition, led by Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, has urged ruling party members to back the impeachment, arguing it is the best way to restore order. The situation has led to economic and diplomatic concerns, with South Korean stocks rising in anticipation of a resolution and the Foreign Minister warning of damage to the country's diplomatic capacity.