South Korean National Assembly votes to impeach President Yoon again

This martial law declaration caused strong criticism and led to a political crisis in Seoul.

For an impeachment motion to pass, it needs the support of at least 200 of the 300 members of the National Assembly , after which the matter will be referred to the Constitutional Court.

If President Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, elections to choose a replacement must be held within 60 days.

Opposition lawmakers submitted a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol for the second time to the South Korean National Assembly on December 12. (Photo: Yonhap)

Faced with growing pressure, President Yoon declared in a televised speech on December 12 that he would "fight to the end" to defend his decision to take over the country's leadership and not resign early.

The opposition, which includes the Democratic Party and five other smaller opposition parties, currently holds a total of 192 seats, submitted its first impeachment motion last week. However, only three lawmakers from President Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) participated in the first impeachment vote, causing the vote to be annulled due to insufficient participation.

South Korean National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the result “very regrettable” and a shameful moment for the country's democracy.

If the impeachment motion passes, President Yoon Suk-yeol will become the second president in South Korean history to be impeached, after Park Geun-hye.

In a related development, according to Yonhap news agency, the Seoul Central District Court has issued arrest warrants for Cho Ji-ho, Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, and Kim Bong-sik, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, on the grounds that they might destroy or interfere with important evidence related to the case.

The arrest warrants were issued just days after the two were detained for allegedly ordering police to be sent to the National Assembly to prevent lawmakers from voting to reject Mr. Yoon's martial law decree.

According to reports, Mr. Cho and Mr. Kim met with President Yoon and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun at a presidential safe house, about three hours before Mr. Yoon declared martial law on December 3.

Police suspect that Mr Cho and Mr Kim may have been involved from the planning stage of martial law. Both are now banned from leaving the country.

Quartz (Source: Yonhap, Euro News)

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