South Korea: Opposition parties submit impeachment motion against Yoon after martial law turmoil

Seoul: Opposition parties in South Korea submitted a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday after Yoon’s declaration of martial law was blocked by lawmakers.

The main opposition Democratic Party and five other minor opposition parties, including the Rebuilding Korea Party and Reform Party, submitted the motion to the bills office at the National Assembly at 2:43 pm, Yonhap news agency reported.

The impeachment motion was signed by 190 opposition lawmakers and one independent lawmaker, with no support from any ruling party lawmakers.

The opposition parties plan to report the motion to a parliamentary plenary session on Thursday and to put it up for a vote on Friday or Saturday.

By law, an impeachment motion must be put to a vote between 24 and 72 hours after the motion is reported to a plenary session.

Representative Shin Chang-sik of the Rebuilding Korea Party said the parties have not decided yet whether to vote ‘right away’ or at some other time ‘within 72 hours.’

The impeachment motion requires a two-thirds majority to pass the parliament. Of the 300-member National Assembly, the opposition will need eight votes from the ruling People Power Party to pass the bill.

IANS