South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung said on Friday said impeaching President Yoon Suk Yeol is the most effective way to restore national order. He was speaking ahead of a parliamentary vote on brief imposition of martial law, .
Yoon’s move to impose military rule on Dec. 3 was rescinded before six hours but it plunged the country into a constitutional crisis and widespread calls for him to step down for breaking the law.
Yoon on Thursday vowed to “fight to the end,” blaming the opposition party for paralysing the government and claiming a North Korean hack into the election commission made his party’s crushing defeat in an April parliamentary election questionable.
South Korean Democratic Party leader Lee called Yoon’s remarks “a declaration of war” against the people. “It proved that impeachment is the fastest and the most effect way to end the confusion,” he said.
He is banned from leaving the country while being investigated for treason, incidentally, a crime punishable by death.
Yoon survived the first attempt to impeach him last Saturday when most of his ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote. Since then some PPP members have publicly supported a vote to impeach him although for a while it looked as if he had struck a deal with his party to stand down.
But as the week sped on the president disappeared from public view and no details became public about the resignation plan. Gradually it became obvious that Yoon had no intention of quitting.
Opposition parties, which control the single-chamber parliament, have introduced another impeachment bill and plan to hold a vote on Saturday. They need at least eight PPP members to join to pass the bill with the two-third majority required.
But the country is caught in a peculiar situation with his party claiming he would not be allowed to make decisions but legal experts say there is nothing in the constitution that allows for this.
(With inputs from Reuters)
