Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — South Korea parliament went ahead with a vote on the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol on Saturday afternoon, December 7, despite a walkout by nearly all members of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) in protest.
The impeachment push came after South Korea President Yoon’s declaration of martial law early Thursday, December 4, which sparked widespread public outrage and drew sharp criticism from opposition parties.
The motion centers on two key proposals. The first seeks to reinstate a special investigation into First Lady Kim Keon-hee, requiring a simple majority to pass. The second, a consequential motion aims to impeach President Yoon.
Under current law, a two-thirds majority, or approximately 200 out of 300 parliamentary votes, is required to pass the impeachment motion.
The vote, which began at 5 p.m. in Korean local time, was attended by members of parliament from various parties, including the ruling People’s Power Party (PPP). Local television broadcasts, cited by AFP, showed lawmakers casting their votes in secret inside the assembly hall.
The opposition, led by the Democratic Party and smaller allied parties, controls 192 seats in the National Assembly. This means they would need at least eight more votes from the ruling PPP to meet the two-thirds threshold required to pass the impeachment motion.
The PPP, which holds 108 seats, staged a walkout as a show of solidarity against the impeachment proceedings. AFP reports that only one PPP lawmaker remained in his seat as his colleagues walked out.
It remains unclear whether any PPP lawmakers will break ranks to support the motion, as the voting on the impeachment motion is still ongoing.
Impeachment Motion
The impeachment motion accuses President Yoon Suk-yeol controversial declaration of martial law has violating South Korea constitution and other laws.
Critics argue that the move restricts civil liberties and undermines democratic principles. The decision triggered mass protests across South Korea, placing Yoon’s administration under intense scrutiny.
Democracy Under Fire: South Korea Declares Martial law!
If the impeachment motion passes, the case will move to South Korea Constitutional Court, which will determine whether to reinstate or remove President Yoon Suk-yeol from office.
The voting result are expected to be announced in the next few hours. If the impeachment motion is approved, the Constitutional Court of Korea will decide whether the action is valid within a maximum of 180 days.
The outcome of the vote is set to have significant implications for President Yoon Suk-yeol political future. Should the motion succeed, Yoon would become the second South Korean president to be impeached, following Park Geun-hye’s removal from office in 2016.
(Raidi/Agung)
