South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol narrowly avoided impeachment over his brief imposition of martial law, as ruling party lawmakers largely boycotted a parliamentary vote on Saturday.
The opposition-led motion failed to secure the two-thirds majority needed to suspend Yoon’s presidential powers, deepening political turmoil and intensifying public protests demanding his resignation.
The Democratic Party, the main opposition, vowed to reintroduce the motion, with its leader Lee Jae-myung promising Yoon’s impeachment or resignation by year’s end.
Public opinion polls suggest significant support for Yoon’s removal, and experts warn that ongoing public pressure might lead to further defections within the ruling People Power Party (PPP), potentially reigniting impeachment efforts.
Yoon’s martial law declaration earlier this week faced criticism even within his party, as it briefly deployed troops and military helicopters around parliament.
Although he publicly apologized for the decree, calling it a desperate measure, opposition lawmakers condemned it as an unconstitutional attempt to suppress dissent.
Protests erupted in Seoul, with tens of thousands demanding Yoon’s ouster, while a smaller group of his supporters decried the impeachment attempt as unconstitutional.
The failed motion has left South Korean politics in disarray, with speculation that Yoon might consider a constitutional amendment to shorten his term as a means of quelling public anger.
Meanwhile, allegations of political arrests during the martial law period have led to the suspension of top military officials and a travel ban on the former defense minister.
As tensions escalate, opposition parties are preparing for another impeachment bid when the next parliamentary session begins. If successful, Yoon’s powers would be suspended pending a Constitutional Court ruling.
