The impeachment motion against South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol has failed for the time being. The process on the impeachment motion was halted after the Speaker announced that the impeachment process could not proceed due to insufficient quorum to move the bill forward for a vote in the National Assembly. 200 votes were required for the proposal to be approved.
The motion failed after all but three members of parliament from President Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote on whether to impeach him. In addition to the 192 members of the opposition party, eight other members (from the ruling party) were required to vote in favor of the motion for the motion to be passed, but it is reported that only three MPs voted in favor of the motion.
Tens of thousands gathered outside the parliament building, demanding the removal of President Yeol, who had apologized for imposing ‘martial law’. After declaring martial law, the South Korean president has reportedly ordered the arrest of even the leaders of his own party. But they have said that efforts to remove Yoon will continue even if the necessary number of votes is not reached for the impeachment motion to pass.
They have demanded the resignation of President Yun, who had previously apologized for imposing “martial law” and promised not to take such a step again. The military rule declared by the president on Tuesday night was overturned by the parliament within six hours. The opposition party (Democratic Party) then submitted a motion of impeachment against him in parliament.
Before the vote, President Yoon apologized in a short televised address. “I am deeply sorry and would like to apologize to the shocked public,” Yoon said. Responding to the failure to vote, the Democratic Party has said it will continue its efforts to impeach the president. But President Yoon’s People Power Party has responded by saying it would seek “orderly and responsible” solutions to the crisis rather than impeachment.
