In a dramatic turn of events, the South Korean National Assembly failed to pass the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol on Saturday, as lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote by leaving the parliament hall.
Earlier in the session, the National Assembly had voted against a bill to investigate scandals involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee. Following this, most of the 108 PPP lawmakers walked out, leaving only a few of their members behind.
The impeachment motion, submitted by the opposition Democratic Party and five minor parties, required the support of at least two-thirds of the 300 lawmakers to pass. With the absence of the ruling party lawmakers, only 198 votes were cast for the bill on a special prosecutor investigation of the First Lady, falling short of the quorum.
Opposition lawmakers called out to the absent PPP members by name, urging them to return and fulfill their legislative duties, but their appeals went unanswered. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik waited for nearly three hours before officially declaring the impeachment motion scrapped due to the lack of quorum.
Outside the parliament, hundreds of thousands of citizens held candlelight rallies, demanding action on President Yoon’s impeachment. The public outcry reflects growing dissatisfaction with the president’s recent actions, including his controversial declaration of emergency martial law.
On Tuesday night, President Yoon declared martial law, which was repealed early Wednesday after the parliament voted against it. According to the constitution, such a declaration can only be made in cases of war, serious incidents, or other comparable national emergencies. The opposition contends that no such conditions existed, accusing President Yoon of violating constitutional procedures by not notifying the National Assembly.
The impeachment motion alleges that President Yoon attempted treason by directing the defense minister to illegally mobilize troops and disrupt parliamentary proceedings, aiming to avoid investigations into alleged criminal activities involving himself and the First Lady.
Public sentiment appears heavily against the president. A survey conducted by local pollster Realmeter on Wednesday showed that 73.6% of voters favored impeachment, with only 24% opposing. Notably, even in traditionally conservative regions like North Gyeongsang Province and the city of Daegu, support for impeachment stood at 66.2%.
President Yoon’s approval ratings have plummeted amid ongoing scandals involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee. She faces accusations of stock price manipulation and alleged interference in political candidate nominations, as well as manipulating public opinion during the 2022 presidential election.
According to a Gallup Korea poll, President Yoon’s approval rating dropped to 16% this week, the lowest since he took office in May 2022.
As the nation grapples with political turmoil, the failure to pass the impeachment motion highlights deep divisions within the government and growing public dissatisfaction. The coming weeks will be critical in determining the future of President Yoon’s administration and the Republic of Korea’s political stability.
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South Korea's impeachment vote fails as ruling party walks out
cgtn.com
