SEOUL—South Korea’s parliament faced a dramatic deadlock on Saturday as an impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol failed to pass, following a mass walkout by lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP).
The parliamentary session descended into chaos when, after voting against a bill to investigate scandals involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee, most of the 108 PPP lawmakers exited the assembly hall, effectively halting the impeachment process. Only one ruling party lawmaker remained, with two others returning briefly after initially leaving.
The motion required the support of at least two-thirds of the 300-member National Assembly to pass. However, with the PPP’s departure, only 198 lawmakers participated in the vote on the special prosecutor investigation bill concerning the First Lady, resulting in 102 votes against it. The lack of quorum prevented the impeachment motion from proceeding in a revote.
Opposition lawmakers from the liberal Democratic Party and other minor parties called out the names of the absent ruling party members, urging them to return and fulfill their legislative duties. Despite waiting for nearly three hours, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik was compelled to end the voting process, announcing that the impeachment motion had been scrapped due to insufficient participation.
Outside the parliament, hundreds of thousands of citizens held a candlelight rally, expressing their frustration and demanding accountability. The public outcry reflects growing discontent with President Yoon’s leadership, particularly in relation to recent controversies.
The impeachment motion was initiated by the Democratic Party and five minor parties after President Yoon declared emergency martial law on Tuesday night—a move he later repealed on Wednesday, following parliamentary opposition. The revocation was approved during a cabinet meeting. The motion argued that such a declaration is reserved for instances of war, severe incidents, or comparable national emergencies, none of which were present. The opposition accused President Yoon of violating the constitution and martial law by not notifying the National Assembly of his actions.
Furthermore, the motion alleged that President Yoon attempted treason by instructing the defense minister to illegally mobilize troops and disrupt parliamentary functions, aiming to evade investigations into alleged criminal activities involving himself and the First Lady.
Public sentiment appears to be turning against the president. A survey conducted by local pollster Realmeter on Wednesday showed that 73.6% of 504 respondents supported impeachment, with only 24% opposing. Even in the conservative strongholds of North Gyeongsang Province and the city of Daegu, 66.2% agreed with the impeachment.
President Yoon has been embroiled in multiple scandals involving his wife, Kim Keon-hee, since his campaign and subsequent inauguration in May 2022. Allegations include her involvement in stock price manipulation for illicit gains, interference in candidate nominations for elections, and manipulating public opinion during the presidential campaign.
The president’s approval ratings have suffered as a result. A Gallup Korea poll indicated a drop of three percentage points from the previous week, with only 16% of respondents approving of his performance—the lowest since he took office.
The failure of the impeachment vote highlights the deep political divisions within South Korea’s government and raises concerns about the country’s political stability. As public pressure mounts, all eyes are on President Yoon and the ruling party’s next moves.
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South Korea's impeachment vote fails as ruling party walks out
cgtn.com
