South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Survives Impeachment Motion Amid Political Drama

Ravi Singh

Seoul: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol barely escaped an impeachment motion yesterday after a chaotic and contentious session in the National Assembly. The motion, which required a two-thirds majority to pass, failed when most members of Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) walked out of the chamber, effectively boycotting the vote.

The session, under the presidency of Speaker Woo Won-shik, adjourned abruptly after several hours of heated exchanges. Woo declared the motion invalid: “With a total of 195 votes, the number of members who voted did not reach the required two-thirds majority of the total members. Therefore, I declare that the vote on this matter is not valid.”

Political Turmoil Escalates

The impeachment motion came after a week of intense political turmoil sparked by President Yoon’s proposal to declare martial law. The widely criticized decision to declare martial law was seen as an overreach of executive power and led to public outrage, which heightened the tensions within the Assembly. The president eventually issued a public apology but the damage had been done. It further polarized lawmakers.

Adding to the controversy was a third vote to investigate First Lady Kim Keon-hee’s alleged role in trying to influence the martial law decision. Opposition lawmakers, backed by the Democratic Party of Korea, led the campaign for the inquiry but it did not have enough votes to pass. In response, almost all 108 PPP legislators walked out, calling their protest “political theater.”

Opposition Outrage

Opposition leaders were quick to condemn the PPP’s moves. “This is an outright attempt to undermine the democratic process,” said a Democratic Party lawmaker. Others said the ruling party was promoting authoritarian tendencies, calling them “accomplices to insurrection.

While the impeachment resolution didn’t pass, legislators claimed that they wouldn’t allow Yoon to off it easily. In the legislative chamber, after the close, many of the members claimed they would be prepared and able to call Yoon’s resignation into office outside this very parliament, protesting amidst subzero temperatures in numbers thousands, chanting for him to resign.

Political repercussions within the PPP were quick to come. Choo Kyung-ho, floor leader of the party, announced his resignation in protest at the failed vote, signaling internal divisions over how to handle the crisis. A PPP spokesperson warned of the risks of a “paralyzed government” and called for unity amid growing public dissatisfaction.

The failed impeachment vote and the new controversies surrounding President Yoon have left South Korea with political uncertainty. Emboldened opposition and simmering public discontent are likely to increase challenges for Yoon’s administration in the coming weeks.

And with protesting in the streets and strategic thinking from the opposition members, the country watches intently as the stability of democratic institutions hangs in the balance during this moment of time.