Attempted impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol
This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (December 2024) |
On 4 December 2024, six opposition parties submitted a bill to the National Assembly to impeach South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol after his declaration of martial law the previous day. A majority of the ruling People Power Party (PPP)'s representatives boycotted the vote, causing the motion to be cancelled with only 195 lawmakers present of the 200 needed to impeach on 7 December.
Attempted impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol | |
---|---|
Accused | Yoon Suk Yeol (President of South Korea) |
Date | 4 December 2024 | to 7 December 2024
Outcome | Failed |
Cause | 2024 South Korean martial law |
Impeachment vote by National Assembly (7 December 2024) | |
Not voting | 105 / 300
|
Result | Votes not counted due to failure to reach quorum amid PPP boycott; impeachment unsuccessful |
Background
editImpeachment procedure
editThe procedure for impeachment is set out in the 10th Constitution of South Korea in 1987. Article 65, Clause 1, specifies that the National Assembly may impeach the President, Prime Minister, or other state officials if they violate the Constitution or other laws while performing official duties.[1][2]
For an impeachment motion to pass, a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly—200 out of 300 members—must vote in favor.[3] Once passed, the individual is immediately suspended from their duties pending a ruling by the Constitutional Court of Korea. The scope of impeachment is limited to removal from public office, with no further penalties imposed through this process.[4]
By the Constitutional Court Act passed in 1988, the Constitutional Court must make a final decision within 180 days after it receives any case for adjudication, including impeachment cases. If the respondent has already left office before the pronouncement of the decision, the case is dismissed.[4] Six of the nine justices must vote to remove the president; due to three vacancies, all six justices would have to vote to remove him, although it is unclear if the court would hear the case with vacancies.[3]
Only one president, Park Geun-hye, has been removed from office through impeachment, in 2017. Roh Moo-hyun was impeached in 2004, but the Constitutional Court ruled against his removal, allowing him to remain in office.[5][6][7]
If the National Assembly votes to impeach President Yoon, he would be immediately suspended from his duties, with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo assuming those duties as acting president. Should Yoon resign or be removed by the Constitutional Court, an early presidential election would be held within the next 60 days therefore around early 2025. The prime minister would continue as acting president until the election.[3]
Martial law declaration
editOn 3 December, Yoon declared martial law in South Korea, stating that martial law was necessary to defend South Korea from anti-state forces. Military and police forces attempted to prevent legislators from entering the Korea National Assembly Proceeding Hall, causing clashes between the police and military, protesters, and congressional aides. All 190 members of congress who were present in the chamber unanimously voted to lift martial law, causing Yoon to rescind martial law around 04:00 KST (UTC+9) on 4 December.[6]
Motion
editChoice | Votes |
---|---|
Yes | Not counted |
No | |
Abstentions | |
Invalid votes | |
Did not vote | 105 / 300
|
Impeachment unsuccessful |
All six opposition parties – the Democratic Party, Rebuilding Korea Party, New Reform Party, Progressive Party, Basic Income Party, and Social Democratic Party – submitted the bill to impeach Yoon during a plenary session of the National Assembly on 4 December. The vote was set for 7 December.[8]
Following an emergency meeting of the People Power Party (PPP), its leader, Han Dong-hoon, initially announced the party's unanimous opposition to the impeachment efforts.[9][10][11] However, on 6 December, Han revealed that the PPP had received evidence indicating that Yoon had ordered Yeo In-hyung, the defense counterintelligence commander, to arrest key politicians, including Han himself,[12] on "anti-state charges" during martial law and detain them in Gwacheon, prompting Han to call on Yoon to "suspend his duties soon" and warning that citizens could be in "great danger" if Yoon remained in office.[13][14][15]
Assuming all opposition parties vote in favor of the motion, only eight more PPP members would be required to reach the threshold needed to start a trial by the Constitutional Court, which is less than the number that had voted to lift the martial law declaration. Prior to the PPP's leadership publicly announcing its opposition to the continuation of Yoon presidency, all 18 representatives aligned with PPP that were able to attend the National Assembly session voted against Yoon's imposition of martial law.[16]
Hours before the National Assembly convened on 7 December, Yoon apologized for declaring martial law, describing it as "desperate decision made by me, the president, as the final authority responsible for state affairs" and saying that it would not be repeated.[17] He also pledged to delegate his political functions to the PPP.[18] Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung called the apology "disappointing" and insisted on Yoon's resignation or impeachment.[19] Prior to the impeachment vote, a motion was discussed on whether to launch a special counsel investigation on Yoon’s wife Kim Keon-hee, which failed due to opposition by the PPP.[20]
Before voting began, all PPP lawmakers except one, Ahn Cheol-soo, left the voting chamber, meaning the bill would be unlikely to pass.[21] This came amid the possibility of PPP lawmakers deviating from the party's position through the secret balloting process.[22] Kim Ye-ji left but later returned;[23][24] Kim Sang-wook returned to vote but said he voted against impeachment.[25] Protesters attempted to block the exits of the National Assembly Proceeding Hall as PPP lawmakers left, calling the leaving lawmakers "cowards" and encouraging them to vote.[26] Rebuilding Korea Party lawmaker Joon Hyung Kim said that he expected voting to go on until 00:00 KST (UTC+9) on December 8 at the latest;[27] the deadline to vote is 00:48 KST, three days after the motion was introduced.[28]
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik closed voting early at 21:20 KST and initially announced the start of counting shortly after, but then announced that votes would not be counted due to failing to reach quorum, with only 195 members present of the 200 needed.[29][30]
While the session was underway, crowds estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands[31] gathered in front of the National Assembly demanding Yoon's removal and insisting that PPP lawmakers participate in the impeachment vote, with some attempting to climb over the complex's walls and police barricades.[32]
Related motions
editAside from Yoon, several officials were subjected to proposals and motions for impeachment over their involvement in the declaration of martial law. These included his defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun,[33] who resigned on 5 December,[34] and interior minister Lee Sang-min, whose impeachment motion was filed by the Democratic Party on 7 December, with the deciding vote scheduled on 10 December.[35]
Aftermath
editFollowing the vote, Han Dong-hoon said that the PPP would continue to "push for the president's orderly retreat to minimize chaos",[36] while PPP floor leader Choo Kyung-ho resigned, saying that he would take responsibility over the result of the impeachment vote.[37] Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said that he would "make all-out efforts to promptly stabilize the current situation".[38] The Democratic Party said that it would continue to file impeachment motions against Yoon on a weekly basis.[39]
Analysis
editThe Korea Times drew comparisons between Yoon's impeachment and that of President Park Geun-hye in 2017, attributing Yoon's survival in office to the PPP's fears that it could suffer heavy losses in the event of a snap election being held to find a successor to Yoon, similar to what happened after Park was removed from the presidency.[40]
Opinion polling
editOpinion polling carried out by Realmeter on 4 December 2024 found that 73.6% of respondents supported Yoon's impeachment while 24% opposed it. It also found that 70% believed that Yoon's actions constituted treason while 25% believed otherwise.[41]
References
edit- ^ Article 65, Clause 1 of the Constitution of South Korea (1987)
- ^ Mosler, Hannes B. (2017). "The Institution of Presidential Impeachment in South Korea, 1992-2017". Verfassung und Recht in Übersee / Law and Politics in Africa, Asia and Latin America. 50 (2): 119–120. ISSN 0506-7286.
- ^ a b c Rashid, Raphael (5 December 2024). "How South Korea's impeachment process works after Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law bid". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ a b Butts, Dylan (4 December 2024). "South Korean President Yoon faces impeachment: How did we get here?". CNBC. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ Jin, Hyunjoo; Lee, Joyce (4 December 2024). "South Korean president faces impeachment calls after martial law debacle". Reuters. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ a b "How a presidential impeachment works in South Korea as Yoon faces backlash". Reuters. 4 December 2024.
- ^ Kim, Hyung-Jin; Tong-Hyung, Kim (4 December 2024). "South Korea's opposition parties move to impeach president over sudden declaration of martial law". Associated Press. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ Lee, Wonju (4 December 2024). "(LEAD) Main opposition seeks vote on Yoon impeachment motion Saturday". Yonhap News Agency.
- ^ "South Korea's ruling party to fight Yoon impeachment as president clings to power". France 24. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ Lee, Joyce; Jin, Hyunjoo (4 December 2024). "South Korean ruling party to oppose Yoon impeachment after martial law debacle". Reuters. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ "S. Korea's Ruling People Power Party Chief Asks President To Leave Party". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. 4 December 2024.
- ^ "South Korea: President Yoon's arrest list included own party leader". BBC News. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ Sang-Hun, Choe (5 December 2024). "Head of South Korean President's Party Calls for His Impeachment". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ Jeong-Won, Lim (6 December 2024). "PPP leader calls for Yoon's 'immediate suspension from duty'". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ Ng, Kelly; Bicker, Laura; Marsh, Nick (6 December 2024). "South Korea's leading parties hold meetings to decide Yoon's fate". BBC News. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ Kim, Hyung Jin; Kim, Tong Hyung (4 December 2024). "South Korea's opposition parties move to impeach president over sudden declaration of martial law". Associated Press. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
The 190-0 vote that rejected martial law included the votes of 18 lawmakers from the PPP, according to National Assembly officials.
- ^ Lee, Juhyun; Gallo, William (7 December 2024). "Ahead of impeachment vote, Yoon apologizes for anxiety over martial law decree". Voice of America.
- ^ Son, Ji-hyoung (7 December 2024). "Uncertainty looms over Yoon's plans to delegate power to party". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ Chang, Dong-woo (7 December 2024). "(LEAD) Main opposition says Yoon's apology 'disappointing,' no option remains other than resignation or impeachment". Yonhap News Agency.
- ^ Kim, Arin (7 December 2024). "[From the Scene] How Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment bill failed". The Korea Herald.
- ^ "Impeachment vote can proceed - but there's little point". BBC News. 7 December 2024.
- ^ Kim, Rahn (7 December 2024). "Ruling party faces harsher criticism for boycotting impeachment vote". The Korea Times.
- ^ "One ruling party MP returns to chamber". BBC News. 7 December 2024.
- ^ "Two more ruling party MPs come back". BBC News. 7 December 2024.
- ^ "Ruling party MP says he returned to vote against impeachment". BBC News. 7 December 2024.
- ^ Mackenzie, Jean (7 December 2024). "Enormous anger outside voting chamber as ruling party MPs leave". BBC News.
- ^ "'Listen to the people,' opposition MP tells ruling party". BBC News. 7 December 2024.
- ^ Thomas, Natalie (7 December 2024). "A path is being cleared to the chamber". BBC News.
- ^ "Vote to impeach South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol fails after boycott by ruling party MPs". BBC News. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ Kim, Cynthia; Park, Ju-min; Lee, Joyce (7 December 2024). "South Korea's Yoon survives martial law impeachment move after his party boycotts vote". Reuters.
- ^ Kim, Eun-jung (7 December 2024). "(News Focus) Yoon survives impeachment vote, but political future remains uncertain". Yonhap News Agency.
- ^ Kim, Boram (7 December 2024). "(LEAD) Rally participants rage over failure of Yoon impeachment motion". Yonhap News Agency.
- ^ "Defense minister faces treason charges for proposing declaration of martial law". The Korea Times. 4 December 2024. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
Six South Korean opposition parties have filed a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol over his short-lived declaration of martial law
- ^ Kim, Eun-jung (5 December 2024). "(LEAD) Yoon accepts defense minister's resignation amid martial law chaos". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ Ahn, Sung-mi (7 December 2024). "Main opposition files impeachment motion against Interior Minister Lee Sang-min". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ Kim, Eun-jung (7 December 2024). "PPP leader vows 'orderly retreat' of Yoon after impeachment motion scrapped". Yonhap News Agency.
- ^ "PPP floor leader resigns amid impeachment vote fallout". The Chosun Daily. 7 December 2024.
- ^ "PM vows all-out efforts to promptly stabilize situation as Yoon impeachment motion scrapped". The Korea Times. 7 December 2024.
- ^ Kim, Boram (7 December 2024). "Main opposition vows to push for Yoon impeachment every week". Yonhap News Agency.
- ^ Kim, Rahn (7 December 2024). "Why Park Geun-hye was impeached, but Yoon Suk Yeol isn't". The Korea Times.
- ^ Kim, Eun-jung (5 December 2024). "Seven out of 10 support Yoon's impeachment over martial law declaration: poll". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 5 December 2024.