Opposition parties in South Korea have commenced impeachment proceedings against President Yoon Suk-yeol over a failed attempt to impose martial law in the country.
President Yoon’s Martial Law which sought to ban political activity and censor the media threatened a political crisis in Asia’s fourth-largest economy.
The declaration triggered a group of about 190 lawmakers in the South Korean Parliament who submitted a Bill on Wednesday December 4, 2024 to oust President Yoon Suk-yeol ahead of a vote on December, Friday 6th and Saturday 7th 2024.
The impeachment comes after President Yoon declared an emergency martial law in an unscheduled broadcast on Tuesday, December 3, 2034 in a move to cleanse South Korea of ‘anti-state forces ‘and ‘normalize the country.’
However, moments later he reversed the pronouncement after it was rejected universally by the Parliament who were pre-dominated and controlled by the opposition lawmakers causing armed troops which had already forced their way into the National Assembly building in Seoul to withdraw.
In a statement issued by South Korea’s main opposition, the Democratic Party, President Yoon’s declaration was a grave violation of the constitution.
‘’This amounts to a clear act of treason and is a clear reason to impeach him,” part of the statement read.
However, according to the stipulations of the Amendment of the Constitution and the Control Act, a case of impeachment shall be initiated by at least two members of the Control Yuan, and it shall be established after examination by no less than nine members, excluding the initiators.
Impeaching Yoon would require the support of two-thirds of parliament and the support of at least six justices of the nine-member Constitutional Court to remove him from office.
In the event that the motion is passed through the parliament with the vote in favour of the impeachment from over 200 lawmakers, the constitutional court will deliberate on it for up to 180 days, during which Yoon will be suspended.
