South Korea, the opposition presents a motion to impeach Yoon

South Korean opposition parties today presented a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, which will be debated during a plenary session of the National Assembly scheduled for tomorrow. The motion was introduced by the Democratic Party of Korea, the country’s main opposition force, and five other parties, including the Korean Reconstruction Party and the Reform Party. Opposition forces had already expressed their intention to immediately impeach President Yoon, in response to the latter’s surprise decision to declare martial law in the country. A group of more than 40 lawmakers from various opposition parties had already said that the National Assembly should proceed with Yoon’s impeachment, calling him “the architect of an act of treason linked to mismanagement of the State”.

Hwang Un-ha, leader of the Korean Reconstruction Party, declared that “by mobilizing the Army (Yoon) committed an act equivalent to treason. It is clear that he cannot remain in office for a moment longer. Therefore, we must urgently pass an impeachment motion.” Hwang urged all parties across the parliamentary spectrum to support the impeachment motion today. The Korean Constitution requires that an impeachment motion be voted on by the National Assembly no later than 72 hours after it is presented. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Kim Myung-soo, today ordered the Armed Forces to maintain a posture of maximum combat readiness against potential threats from North Korea, after the National Assembly voted unanimously to rejection of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law.