SEOUL: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol survived an impeachment motion on Saturday, after members of his party boycotted the vote in parliament. The motion, initiated by the opposition, stemmed from his brief attempt earlier this week to impose martial law. Only 195 votes were cast, below the 200-vote threshold required for the motion to pass, rendering the vote invalid.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik expressed disappointment, stating, “It’s very unfortunate that there wasn’t even a vote,” while emphasizing the global attention on the decision.
The opposition Democratic Party has announced plans to introduce a new impeachment motion against Yoon on December 11, with a vote scheduled for December 14, according to Yonhap News.
In response, Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) stated they would pursue a “more orderly, responsible” approach to resolve the crisis instead of pushing for impeachment.
Yoon had sparked national outrage on Tuesday when he granted the military broad emergency powers to eliminate what he described as “anti-state forces” and confront political opposition. However, he later withdrew the order.
The opposition has vowed to continue its efforts to remove him, with opposition leader Lee Jae-myung declaring, “I will impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who has become the worst risk for South Korea, at any cost.”
In the lead-up to the vote, Yoon issued an apology for causing public anxiety, acknowledging the turmoil, and stating he would leave his political future to the decision of his party. “I sincerely apologize for the anxiety and inconvenience,” he said in a televised address.
Despite the controversies, PPP lawmakers continued to back Yoon, with only three members—Ahn Cheol-soo, Kim Yea-ji, and Kim Sang-wook—voting. Had the motion passed, Yoon would have been suspended pending a ruling by the Constitutional Court.
An opinion poll published on Friday revealed Yoon’s approval rating at a record low of 13%. Regardless of the vote outcome, police have initiated an investigation into Yoon and others for potential insurrection.
