South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s party is opposing efforts to impeach him following his failed attempt to impose martial law. The vote on the motion is set for Saturday, and Yoon has accepted the resignation of Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, appointing Choi Byung-hyuk as his successor. Yoon defended his martial law declaration as necessary amid an impasse with opposition lawmakers that had paralyzed the government. The order was lifted after lawmakers rejected it in the legislature, which led to public outrage and protests.
The opposition Democratic Party has submitted articles of impeachment against Yoon, requiring a two-thirds majority vote in the National Assembly for the motion to pass. Even though PPP leaders have asked Yoon to leave the party, they oppose the impeachment motion. If it fails on the first vote, opposition lawmakers say they will continue trying until Yoon is impeached. If the motion passes, a trial will be held to determine the impeachment’s confirmation.
Some U.S. officials, including Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, criticized Yoon’s decision to declare martial law, with Campbell stating that the move was seen as deeply illegitimate. Blinken emphasized the importance of following the constitution and the rule of law as the situation unfolds in South Korea. The strength of South Korean democracy was demonstrated by the swift opposition to the martial law declaration from both progressives and conservatives.
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