Asia’s fourth-largest economy, South Korea, is going through political turmoil, as on Friday opposition leader Lee Jae-myung warned that President Yoon Suk Yeol could make another attempt to declare martial law ahead of a parliamentary vote on his impeachment, which is scheduled for Saturday.
Earlier this week, President Yoon briefly imposed martial law in the country; later, opposition parties, including Lee’s Democratic Party, and smaller parties accelerated their push to pass an impeachment motion against the president.
The situation is getting worse; there are fewer ways to escape, and he might see it as a breakthrough to destroy the existing systems and create a situation where he can do whatever with his power, however unreasonable that might be,” Lee said, as reported by Reuters.
Lee stated that the possibility of a late-night or early-morning declaration remained high. “That’s why it’s very dangerous tonight, because the only chance he has is tonight and tomorrow morning,” he said.
Rumors circulated on Friday afternoon that Yoon might visit the National Assembly, prompting opposition lawmakers to gather in preparation to block any moves by the president. However, Yoon’s office denied the claim, and acting Defense Minister Shin Won-sik dismissed reports of a second martial law declaration as false.
Impeachment Vote Expected On Saturday
President Yoon’s impeachment vote is expected to take place on Saturday afternoon. The impeachment motion requires the support of two-thirds of the 300-member National Assembly to pass, which means at least eight legislators from Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) would need to vote in favor.
Following a lengthy meeting on Friday night, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) has stated it will block the impeachment. However, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon had earlier expressed an opposite view to his party, saying Yoon should be removed from office.
Opposition leader Lee suggested that there has been an increase in momentum for impeachment of Yoon, even within his own party. “Even if he may avoid it tomorrow, the conclusion will eventually come down to one thing—whether it be the day after tomorrow, a week later, or a month later. The only way to tackle the situation is to impeach him unless he resigns,” Lee said.
If the motion passes, Yoon will be suspended from office while the Constitutional Court determines whether to formally remove him. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would serve as acting president until a snap election is held.
Will Lee Jae-myung be the next president?
Lee, a prominent opposition figure who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, is seen as a potential contender if a snap election is called for. His eligibility is not, however, certain, since he recently received a criminal conviction for breaching election laws and other cases are pending against him.
When asked if he plans to run, Lee avoided the question. “Now is not the time to think about it, but to gather all strength to overcome the crisis as soon as possible before economic and diplomatic repercussions become serious,” he said.
He described the situation as an aberration in South Korea’s political system. “The current situation is not from a problem rooted in our country or democracy, but it’s like a virus that happened to infiltrate into our perfectly functioning system,” Lee said. “With proper, rapid treatment, we will recover, and through the process, our nation and democracy will become even stronger.”
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