Yoon Suk Yeol: South Korea’s ruling party supports impeachment as president refuses to step down over martial law

“I’m deeply sorry”: South Korea’s president apologizes for declaring martial law

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The PPP’s about-face on Thursday dramatically increases pressure on Yoon and increases the likelihood that the next impeachment attempt will be successful.

Yoon has faced increasing calls for his resignation since he declared a military emergency on December 3, accusing the main opposition party of “subversive activities,” sympathizing with North Korea and blocking laws and budgets.

The surprise announcement late in the evening, which was blocked by lawmakers within hours, was met with shock and anger across the country. The country remains deeply scarred by the brutality of martial law imposed during decades of military dictatorship before winning a long, bloody battle for democracy in the 1980s.

Dramatic scenes from that night showed security forces breaking windows at the National Assembly to prevent MPs from gathering and protesters confronting riot police.

Since then, pressure on Yoon has increased, with protesters and opposition activists calling for his impeachment – and support has wavered even within his own party and the military.

Police have launched an investigation into Yoon and other senior officials on treason charges. And on Tuesday, lawmakers approved a special prosecutor to investigate whether Yoon committed an insurrection and abused his power by declaring martial law. Yoon was also banned from leaving the country.

The following day, South Korean police searched the presidential office, a presidential security official confirmed to CNN.

Several South Korean officials close to Yoon have been reprimanded over their roles in the emergency declaration.

Last week, South Korean prosecutors arrested former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who allegedly recommended the imposition of martial law and resigned following the scandal. According to the head of the country’s correctional service, Kim attempted to end his life while in custody late on Tuesday.

On Thursday, lawmakers voted to indict Justice Minister Park Sung-jae and National Police Agency chief Cho Ji-ho.

In South Korea’s increasingly partisan political environment, Yoon has portrayed the opposition, led by the Democratic Party, as overly soft on North Korea, something she denies.

In his speech on Thursday, Yoon portrayed his brief declaration of martial law as an attempt to break the political stalemate and accused the opposition of “siding with North Korea and scratching the government, which is struggling to respond.” , after Pyongyang launched garbage balloons into the south, illegal nuclear weapons and missile threats.

“I don’t know which country the party belongs to and which country the National Assembly belongs to,” Yoon said.

Yoon, a former prosecutor and conservative hothead, has had a difficult two years in office. He has faced declining approval ratings because of economic woes and a series of scandals involving his wife and political appointments that led to calls for his resignation.

And in recent months, gridlock in the House has made him a sluggish president, prevented from advancing legislation to cut taxes and loosen corporate regulations as his main rivals in the Democratic Party used the legislative session to impeach key Cabinet members and seek indictment raise household bills.

In his speech on Thursday, a defiant Yoon tried to downplay his actions, saying the opposition was “creating a lot of false incitement to bring down the president by committing (the) crime of treason.”

Yoon also claimed he imposed martial law “to maintain order, not to dismiss the National Assembly or paralyze its functions.”

“If I had paralyzed the functions of the National Assembly, I would have declared martial law on the weekend and not on a weekday,” he said. “And first cut off electricity and water in the parliament building and restrict broadcasting. But I didn’t do any of that.”

With his hold on the country weakening, Yoon also vowed to “fight with the people until the last moment.”

“I apologize again to people who may have been surprised and nervous due to the short-lived martial law,” he said. Please trust in my fierce loyalty to you, the people.”

This story has been updated with additional information.