South Korea’s governing party head supports suspending President Yoon’s powers, making impeachment more likely

South Korea's political crisis deepens as President Yoon faces impeachment over martial law declaration, causing regional concern.

South Korea’s governing party chief expressed support Friday (December 6, 2024) for suspending the constitutional powers of President Yoon Suk Yeol for imposing martial law this week, in a bombshell reversal that makes Mr. Yoon’s impeachment more likely.

Opposition parties are pushing for a parliamentary vote on Mr. Yoon’s impeachment on Saturday (December 7, 2024), calling his short-lived martial law declaration an “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup.” But they need support from some members of the president’s People Power Party to get the two-thirds majority required to pass the impeachment motion.

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The turmoil resulting from Mr. Yoon’s nighttime martial law decree has frozen South Korean politics and caused worry among neighbours, including fellow democracy Japan, and Seoul’s top ally, the United States, as one of the strongest democracies in Asia faces a political crisis that could unseat its leader.

During a party meeting, PPP leader Han Dong-hun stressed the need to suspend Mr. Yoon’s presidential duties and power swiftly, saying he poses a “significant risk of extreme actions, like reattempting to impose martial law, which could potentially put the Republic of Korea and its citizens in great danger.”

Mr. Han said he had received intelligence that Mr. Yoon had ordered the country’s defence counterintelligence commander to arrest and detain unspecified key politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities” during the brief period martial law was in force.

“It’s my judgment that an immediate suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s official duties is necessary to protect the Republic of Korea and its people,” Mr. Han said.