South Korea's political turmoil deepens as impeachment stalls
The President of South Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol, avoided impeachment due to a lack of quorum in the parliament. Members of the ruling party boycotted the vote, which prevented the opposition from gathering the required number of votes.
The President of South Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol, avoided impeachment because there was no quorum in the parliament. Members of the ruling People’s Power Party left the assembly hall before the vote. The opposition needed the support of at least eight PPL deputies for the motion to pass.
During the voting, which lasted over four hours, 195 out of 300 deputies participated. This meant the lack of the required quorum of two-thirds votes. Therefore, the number of votes for or against the motion to impeach Yoon was not counted.
During the session of the National Assembly, thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the building. Among them were both supporters and opponents of President Yoon's impeachment. The demonstrations showed deep divisions in South Korean society.
Political crisis in South Korea
South Korean President Jun Suk Jeol said on Saturday, in a short address to the nation, that he is "deeply sorry" for causing unrest by announcing martial law on December 3rd, but he did not resign. He announced that he would not avoid legal responsibility for his decisions. The leader of the ruling party assessed that Yoon "is no longer able to perform his duties."
This was Yoon's first public appearance since he lifted martial law on Wednesday, just six hours after it was declared, following the vote by deputies who broke through the military and police cordon to the National Assembly building to reject the president's decree.
In a televised address, Yoon stated that the decision to impose martial law "stemmed from my desperation as the ultimate responsible party for state affairs." He admitted that it caused unrest and inconvenience for the citizens, for which he is "deeply sorry." He also emphasized that he has no intention of declaring another martial law.
The head of state announced that he will not shy away from legal or political responsibility for the Tuesday declaration and its consequences. Yoon entrusted "my party with measures related to my term in office and the political stability of the country" to the ruling People’s Power Party, from which he originates, and his administration.
