South Korea: Bid to impeach President Yoon fails

Though South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol survived an impeachment vote in parliament on Saturday over his ill-fated decision to declare martial law this week, Han Dong-hoon, the leader of his own People Power Party (PPP), said the president will eventually step down.

The PPP boycotted Saturday's impeachment vote — put forward by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) — scuttling the movement and keeping Yoon from being impeached.

After the vote, PPP leader Han said the party had decided that Yoon would resign and had "effectively obtained" his promise to do so.

Han emphasized that Yoon was no longer in a position to carry out his public duties and his resignation was unavoidable.

Though he pledged the PPP would "resolve this crisis in a more orderly and responsible manner" than impeachment would have, Han refused to say just when Yoon would step down.

South Korea's constitution requires a presidential election be held within 60 days of a presidential vacancy. 

Yoon's term in office runs out in May 2027.

"The People Power Party will pursue an orderly departure of the president in order to minimize confusion for the people," said Han, who added that Yoon would be "effectively excluded from his duties, and the prime minister will consult with the party to manage state affairs."

The opposition DP ridiculed that idea as "absurd and illegal."

"Neither the people, nor the law, nor anyone has given Han the power to remove [Yoon] from office," the party said in a statement, saying impeachment is the only way.

South Korea's main opposition party promised to renew its attempts to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol as early as Wednesday after a motion failed due to a walkout by ruling PPP lawmakers.

"I will impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who has become the worst risk for South Korea, at any cost," said Lee Jae-myung, who heads the Democratic Party.

Opposition parties hold 192 seats in the National Assembly. The impeachment motion required 200 votes to pass, but only three PPP lawmakers participated in the vote amid a ruling party boycott.

A motion to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol failed after most ruling PPP party lawmakers walked out from the vote.

The motion was dropped without ballots being counted as the total votes did not reach 200, or the two-thirds majority required for it to pass.

Opposition parties, which hold 192 seats in parliament, presented the bill after Yoon briefly declared martial law last week.

Only three PPP lawmakers participated in the vote.

Protesters in South Korea expressed frustration over the likely defeat of a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol due to a boycott by most ruling party lawmakers.

Nearly 150,000 people demonstrated around the National Assembly, according to police.

Gasps of disappointment were already heard from the crowd after a bill to launch an investigation into first lady Kim Keon Hee was defeated.

"I feel terrible that it has come to this today," protester An Jun-cheol told the AFP news agency. "What the ruling party lawmakers did today — walking away from the vote — is nothing more than an attempt to cement their power and status, with no regard for the people."

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) also condemned Yoon's attempt to impose martial law last week, according to South Korean daily The Korean Times.

"Today, right here, we will mark the end of Yoon Suk Yeol," KCTU leader Yang Kyung-soo said while speaking to a crowd in front of the National Assembly. "Let us ultimately punish him with even more powerful protests."

Opposition parties said they could propose another bill if the Saturday impeachment vote fails. 

Shin Dong-uk, a lawmaker of the ruling PPP, said that the party never prevented its lawmakers from voting in an impeachment hearing against President Yoon Suk Yeol, according to Reuters news agency.

Most PPP lawmakers walked out of the hearing, with only one remaining in his seat. Two other PPP members later returned for the vote, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

The opposition parties that put forward the motion to impeach Yoon need the support of at least eight ruling party lawmakers to reach the two-thirds majority required for the bill to pass.

Nearly 150,000 protesters outside the South Korean parliament demanded President Yoon Suk Yeol resign as lawmakers voted in an impeachment hearing, according to a police estimate cited by the Yonhap news agency.

"Police estimated that around 149,000 people had joined the gathering as of 5:30 p.m. (0830 GMT) while organizers claimed the turnout was one million," Yonhap said.

South Korean parliamentary speaker Woo Won-shik, who belongs to the main opposition Democratic Party, called for ruling PPP party lawmakers to vote in an impeachment hearing.

He made the comments after PPP members walked out of parliament, with only one party lawmaker remaining in his seat.

"The Republic of Korea is a democracy that's made of people's blood and tears," he said. "Are you not afraid of being judged by history, by the people, and by the world?"

The PPP walkout left the National Assembly without enough members to reach the two-thirds majority needed to pass the impeachment motion.

South Korea's parliament rejected a bill proposing a special investigation into first lady Kim Keon Hee, Yonhap news agency reported.

The measure was put forward alongside impeachment proceedings against President Yoon Suk Yeol, who briefly declared martial law last week.

The bill was two seats short of the two-thirds majority required to pass, with 198 votes for and 102 against, according to Yonhap.

All but one lawmaker from South Korea's ruling PPP party walked out of an impeachment hearing against President Yoon Suk Yeol, who attempted to impose martial law last week.

While party leader Han Dong-hun has said Yoon should resign early, the PPP formally opposes the president's impeachment.

Opposition parties require the votes of at least eight PPP lawmakers to pass the impeachment bill. 

South Korean lawmakers are voting on an impeachment bill for President Yoon Suk Yeol after he tried to impose martial law last week.

Lawmakers of the ruling conservative People Power Party decided to oppose Yoon's impeachment as well as a special counsel investigation bill on first lady Kim Keon-hee, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

Opposition parties will need a handful of votes from the ruling party to pass the bills.

Ahead of the impeachment hearing, Yoon apologized for declaring martial law.

PPP leader Han Dong-hun previously said that the president would need to resign.

Two-thirds of lawmakers in the 300-seat South Korean National Assembly would need to vote in favor of the impeachment motion for it to pass. 

The opposition parties bringing the motion have 192 seats, meaning they would need at least eight votes from the president's People Power Party for the impeachment to pass.

sdi/sms (AP, AFP, Reuters)