South Korean Opposition Leader Urges Ruling Party To Support President Yoon's Impeachment

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol (Wikimedia Commons/DEMA/Lee Kyung Won)

South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung urged the ruling People's Power Party (PPP) to support President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment in connection with last week's military emergency implementation, saying the president's resignation was the best way to restore order in the country.

The statement by the Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) was delivered a day before President Yoon's planned parliamentary vote for the imposition of martial law.

President Yoon on Thursday vowed to "fight until the end," blaming opposition parties for crippling the government and claiming North Korean hacking of the election commission left his party's crushing defeat in April's parliamentary election questionable.

Lee called Yoon's statement a "war declaration" against the people.

"It proves that impeachment is the fastest and most effective way to end confusion," he said, quoted by The Korea Times January 13.

President Yoon's decision to declare a military emergency on December 3 plunged the country into a constitutional crisis and widespread calls for him to resign for violating the law. The status only lasted six hours before he withdrew.

President Yoon survived impeachment efforts early last weekend, when his PPP boycotted the vote, so it didn't reach the quorum.

At least seven PPP members have expressed their intention to support impeachment on Saturday, approaching the eight PPP votes needed to reach a 200-vote threshold along with 192 opposition party lawmakers.

Opposition parties have introduced another impeachment bill and plan to hold a vote at 4 p.m. (07:00 a.m. GMT) on Saturday.

Lee asked PPP members to "join and vote 'yes' for impeachment," saying "historic will remember and record your decision."

Voting to impeach President Yoon will send the case to the Constitutional Court, which has up to six months to decide whether to remove him from office or return him.

It is known that President Yoon himself is separately under criminal investigation on charges of rebellion over a military emergency statement.