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President Yoon Suk Yeol’s ruling party blocked the opposition’s first attempt a week ago after his short-lived attempt to declare martial law.
Dec. 13, 2024, 10:41 p.m. ET
Yoon Suk Yeol, the embattled president of South Korea, faces a second parliamentary vote to impeach him on Saturday, with the opposition and protesters demanding more ruling party lawmakers abandon support for their leader over his short-lived martial law decree.
Mr. Yoon faces impeachment on charges including insurrection, 11 days after he sent military troops into the legislature, triggering national outrage and plunging the country into political turmoil. His attempt to place his country under military rule for the first time in 45 years lasted only six hours.
The opposition parties need eight votes from Mr. Yoon’s governing People Power Party to impeach the president. Last Saturday, they fell short after Mr. Yoon’s party blocked its passage by boycotting the vote, saying that he should be given a chance to resign rather than be impeached. Only three of its 108 lawmakers participated.
But things look more uncertain for Mr. Yoon after he indicated on Thursday that he would not step down and will instead fight the National Assembly’s attempt to oust him. The number of governing party lawmakers who have said they would vote for his impeachment has grown to seven.
Mr. Yoon’s party planned to hold a meeting of all its lawmakers on Saturday morning to discuss the impeachment bill.
No matter the outcome on the vote, the political turmoil and uncertainty unleashed by Mr. Yoon’s declaration of martial law will continue. The opposition has said it will call votes every Saturday until Mr. Yoon is removed from office.
