South Korea’s parliament has moved up the time to vote on the second impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol, advancing it by one hour to 4 p.m. local time on Saturday, according to multiple media outlets.
The decision was reported during a plenary session of the National Assembly, where 300 lawmakers are scheduled to cast secret ballots at the newly appointed time, 0700 GMT. The impeachment motion, initiated by the main liberal opposition party, the Democratic Party, along with five other minor parties, was submitted on Thursday and formally reported to the assembly earlier today.
Under South Korea’s constitution, an impeachment bill must be initiated by a majority of lawmakers and requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the National Assembly legislators to pass. With this criteria, the opposition bloc will need to secure eight additional votes from the 108 ruling party lawmakers to successfully impeach President Yoon.
President Yoon has been named as a suspect on an insurrection charge following his declaration of emergency martial law on the night of December 3, a move that was promptly revoked by the National Assembly just hours later.
The advancement of the impeachment vote comes amid heightened political tensions and has captured both national and international attention, as the outcome could significantly impact South Korea’s political landscape.
As the nation awaits the results of the vote, all eyes are on the National Assembly, where the decision will not only determine the immediate future of President Yoon’s leadership but also set a precedent for South Korea’s democratic processes.
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South Korea's parliament advances vote on Yoon's impeachment by 1 hour
cgtn.com
