South Korea’s ruling party chief demanded Friday that President Yoon Suk Yeol be removed from office after his abortive attempt to impose martial law, warning there was a “significant risk” he could try to subvert civilian rule again.
Yoon suspended civilian rule late Tuesday before being forced into a U-turn after lawmakers faced down soldiers at parliament and voted to overturn the measure as thousands protested outside.
“Considering the newly emerging facts, I believe that a swift suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s duties is necessary to safeguard the Republic of Korea and its people,” Han Dong-hoon, the head of Yoon’s People Power Party, said Friday.
If Yoon remains, “there is a significant risk that extreme actions similar to the martial law declaration could be repeated, which could put the Republic of Korea and its citizens in great danger,” Han said in televised comments.
Han added that Yoon “does not acknowledge that this illegal martial law is wrong” and has failed to act against the military officials who “illegally intervened”.
In addition, Han said that “credible evidence” suggested that Yoon had on Tuesday night ordered the arrest of “key politicians” and for them to be placed in a holding facility.
Opposition lawmaker Jo Seung-lae said that security camera footage indicated that soldiers were attempting to arrest opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, and PPP chief Han.
– Impeachment vote –
The opposition had already put forward a motion to impeach Yoon that will be voted on Saturday at around 7:00 pm (1000 GMT), but it had been unclear if this would pass.
But Han’s comments represent a stunning U-turn a day after he had said the PPP would block the motion, which needs a two-thirds majority to pass.
The opposition bloc holds 192 seats in the 300-strong parliament, while the PPP has 108. A successful vote would suspend Yoon from office pending a ruling by the Constitutional Court.
“While there may still be a few ruling party members supporting Yoon Suk Yeol, it seems that Han’s statements today are significantly influenced by the gravity of the situation, particularly the mobilisation of intelligence agencies to arrest politicians,” Shin Yul, professor of political science at Myongji University, told AFP.
“It appears that Han and the party leaders have concluded there is actually a significant possibility that President Yoon may declare a second martial law,” Shin said.
A fresh opinion poll issued Friday put backing for Yoon at a record low of 13 percent.
Media reports said US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin cancelled a planned visit to South Korea next week.
– Investigation –
A 120-strong dedicated police investigation team has been set up to probe charges of insurrection, police told AFP, filed by the opposition against Yoon and a host of top officials.
“If evidence arises during the investigation suggesting preparations for a second martial law, we will pursue it,” officer Kim San-ho, who is overseeing the investigation, told AFP, adding there was currently no evidence of a second attempt.
Yoon, who has lurched from crisis to crisis since taking office in 2022, has not been seen in public since his televised address in the early hours of Wednesday.
On Thursday, his office said that Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun had resigned, but other key allies, including Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, remain in office.
Prosecutors have also banned Kim from leaving the country, Yonhap news agency reported.
Lawmakers on Thursday grilled senior figures, including army chief of staff General Park An-su, who acted as Yoon’s martial law commander.
Park said he was kept in the dark until after the president had announced the imposition of martial law on live television late Tuesday.
It was the first such declaration in more than four decades in South Korea and brought back painful memories of its autocratic past.
The move was to “safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements plundering people’s freedom and happiness,” Yoon said.
Security forces sealed the National Assembly, helicopters landed on the roof, and almost 300 soldiers tried to lock down the building.
But as parliamentary staffers blocked the soldiers with sofas and fire extinguishers. Enough MPs got inside and voted down Yoon’s move.
“We cannot entrust the operation of the government to a president who threatens the lives of the sovereign people through unconstitutional and illegal actions, even for a moment,” Democratic Party chief Lee Jae-myung said Friday.
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