South Korea’s opposition leader issued a stern warning to ruling party colleagues on Friday, stating that “history will remember” if they fail to support the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. The impeachment vote, scheduled for Saturday, comes after Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law plunged the country into its worst political turmoil in years.
Background
Yoon’s attempt to impose martial law was met with fierce resistance, leading to a failed impeachment attempt last Saturday. However, after a week of intense politicking and a mounting investigation into Yoon’s inner circle, analysts believe the main opposition Democratic Party may succeed in its second attempt.
Impeachment Vote
The impeachment vote will take place on Saturday at 5:00 pm (0800 GMT), with Yoon facing charges of “insurrectionary acts undermining the constitutional order” for his martial law bid. To pass, the impeachment motion requires 200 votes, meaning opposition lawmakers must convince eight ruling party colleagues to defect.
Consequences
If the impeachment motion passes, Yoon will be suspended from office while South Korea’s Constitutional Court deliberates. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will serve as interim president during this period. The court will have 180 days to rule on Yoon’s future, and if it backs his removal, Yoon will become the second president in South Korean history to be impeached.
Precedent
There is precedent for the court to block impeachment, as seen in 2004 when then-President Roh Moo-hyun was removed by parliament but later reinstated by the Constitutional Court. The court currently has only six judges, meaning their decision would need to be unanimous.
