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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is bracing for a second impeachment vote on Saturday following his controversial and short-lived declaration of martial law earlier this month, which has plunged the country into a political and constitutional crisis.
The impeachment vote, set for 4 p.m. local time, comes after Yoon’s attempt to impose military rule on December 3, which he rescinded just six hours later in the face of widespread opposition. The move has split his ruling People Power Party (PPP) and sparked national protests, with calls for his resignation intensifying.
Opposition parties, which control 192 out of 300 parliamentary seats, need at least eight votes from PPP lawmakers to achieve the two-thirds majority required for impeachment. PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, who initially opposed impeachment, has urged party members to support it, with at least seven publicly declaring their intention to do so.
Political analyst Choi Jae-won said that if impeached, Yoon would lose authority but remain in office until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove or reinstate him. In the interim, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would serve as acting president.
Protests are building near parliament, with demonstrators calling for Yoon’s impeachment. In contrast, pro-Yoon rallies in central Seoul are expected later in the afternoon. The crisis has even drawn support from K-pop celebrities, who have donated food and drinks to protesters.
Yoon, elected in 2022, faces increasing domestic criticism over his handling of democracy and media freedom, despite being praised internationally for his pro-democracy rhetoric.
Yoon, in a defiant speech, said that he will “fight to the end,” defending his martial law decree as essential to preserving democracy.
Financial markets, shaken by the ongoing crisis, saw a brief rally on Friday amid hopes the impeachment vote might resolve the political turmoil. However, South Korea’s global reputation as a stable democracy hangs in the balance.
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