South Korean President Avoids Impeachment Over Controversial Martial Law Declaration
South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol narrowly avoided impeachment after lawmakers failed to gather enough votes to remove him from office. The impeachment bill, sparked by his sudden and controversial martial law declaration earlier in the week, fell just three votes short of the 200 required to pass.
The declaration of martial law, a measure linked to South Korea’s authoritarian past, shocked the nation when President Yoon announced it on Tuesday. He argued it was necessary to counter “anti-state forces” in parliament. However, the move was met with widespread protests and intense backlash, prompting parliament to overturn the declaration quickly. Just hours later, Yoon’s government officially rescinded it.
On Saturday, most members of Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the impeachment vote, with only three MPs from the party staying in the chamber. One of them, Cho Kyung-tae, explained that Yoon’s apology earlier that day influenced his decision not to support impeachment.
“The president’s apology and his willingness to delegate political matters to the party made me reconsider,” Cho told the BBC. He also feared impeachment would pave the way for opposition leader Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) to assume power.
Despite the failed vote, opposition leader Lee vowed to continue efforts to remove Yoon, calling him “the worst risk” to South Korea. Addressing supporters outside parliament in Seoul, Lee promised to restore stability by the end of the year.
The fallout from Yoon’s martial law declaration continues to stir strong emotions. For many, the move was seen as an extreme reaction to political gridlock caused by the DPK’s landslide victory in April. Yoon’s popularity has also taken a hit in recent months due to a scandal involving the First Lady.
The martial law declaration triggered dramatic scenes at the National Assembly. Protesters swarmed the building, clashing with military personnel who had been ordered to secure the premises. Defying the odds, 190 lawmakers managed to enter and vote against the order.
Military leaders later revealed they were caught off guard by the announcement, learning about it through the media. They declined to carry out arrests or provide live ammunition to soldiers, further fueling public outrage.
On Saturday, Yoon issued an apology, admitting the martial law declaration was a “desperate” decision. He pledged never to make such a move again and handed over responsibility for stabilizing the country to his party. However, he stopped short of resigning.
This isn’t the first time a South Korean president has faced impeachment. In 2016, President Park Geun-hye was impeached and ultimately removed from office over allegations of corruption. Had Yoon’s impeachment bill passed, the case would have moved to a constitutional court, where a two-thirds majority would be required to finalize his removal.
For now, Yoon remains in office, but the fallout from this unprecedented political crisis is far from over.
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