South Korea's president faces impeachment calls over sudden martial law

There are growing calls for South Korea's president to step down after he attempted to impose martial law in the country, as ITV News' Caroline Lewis reports

South Korea's opposition parties submitted a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday over the short-lived martial law he imposed on the country.

Yoon had declared martial law accusing the opposition of controlling parliament, sympathising with North Korea and paralysing the government with anti-state activities.

Hundreds of protesters waving banners and calling for Yoon's impeachment gathered in central Seoul after the martial law was imposed.

Impeaching Yoon would require the support of two-thirds of parliament for the motion and then the backing of at least six Constitutional Court justices.

The motion could be put to a vote as early as Friday, Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min said.

Yoon’s senior advisers and secretaries offered to resign collectively and his Cabinet members, including Defence Minister Kim Yong Hyun, are also facing calls to step down.

The martial law was lifted after a vote by cabinet members in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Military personnel deployed around the National Assembly was withdrawn, Yoon said.

“President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration was a clear violation of the constitution. It didn’t abide by any requirements to declare it,” the Democratic Party said in a statement.

“His martial law declaration was originally invalid and a grave violation of the constitution.

"It was a grave act of rebellion and provides perfect grounds for his impeachment.”

Impeaching him would require support from two-thirds of the parliament, or 200 of its 300 members.

The Democratic Party and other small opposition parties together have 192 seats.

But when the parliament rejected Yoon’s martial law declaration in a 190-0 vote, 18 lawmakers from Yoon’s ruling People Power Party cast ballots supporting the rejection, according to National Assembly officials.

The leader of the People Power Party, Han Dong-hun, who has long ties with Yoon, criticised Yoon’s martial law declaration as “unconstitutional.”

If Yoon is impeached, he’ll be stripped of his constitutional powers until the Constitutional Court can rule on his fate.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would take over his presidential responsibilities.

As calls mounted for Yoon’s Cabinet to resign, Han issued a public message pleading for patience and calling for Cabinet members to “fulfill your duties even after this moment.”

The martial law was lifted after 190 lawmakers of the 300-strong body managed to convene in an emergency session where they voted 190-0 to cancel the declaration.

Members of Yoon's People Power Party party joined with the opposition to vote down the measure.

The leader of Yoon's party, Han Dong-hoon, demanded the president explain why he had done this and called the whole situation "tragic."

He said: "As the ruling party, we feel deeply sorry to the public."

After the vote to overturn the declaration, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik declared that lawmakers "will protect democracy with the people."

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, called Yoon’s announcement "illegal and unconstitutional."

There was a heavy military and police presence on the streets of Seoul on Tuesday night

“Democratic Party lawmakers, including me and many others, will protect our country’s democracy and future and public safety, lives and properties, with our own lives,” Lee told reporters while his party committed themselves to remaining in session until martial law was lifted.

Jo Seung-lae, a Democratic lawmaker, claimed that security camera footage following Yoon’s declaration showed that troops moved in a way that suggested they were trying to arrest Lee, speaker Woo and the leader of Yoon’s own People Power Party.

What is martial law?

Martial law effectively suspends the civilian government and puts the military in control of the country.

It takes a different form from country to country but it usually comes with a suspension of civil rights, the imposition of curfews and strict punishment for anyone who breaks military decrees.

Under South Korea’s constitution, the president can declare martial law during “wartime, war-like situations or other comparable national emergency states” that require the use of military force to maintain peace and order.

It was questionable whether South Korea is currently in such a state.

When martial law is declared, “special measures” can be employed to restrict the freedom of press, freedom of assembly and other rights, as well as the power of courts.

Yoon’s move is the first declaration of martial law since South Korea became a democracy in 1987. The country’s last previous martial law was in October 1979.

Why did the president declare martial law?

In his televised address Yoon said martial law would help “rebuild and protect” the country from “falling into the depths of national ruin.” He said he would “eradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the constitutional democratic order.”

“I will eliminate anti-state forces as quickly as possible and normalize the country,” he said while asking the people to believe in him and tolerate “some inconveniences.”

Yoon also described the opposition as “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces who are plundering the freedom and happiness of our citizens,” but he did not elaborate.

Yoon has taken a hard line on North Korea over its nuclear ambitions, departing from the policies of his liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-in, who pursued inter-Korean engagement.

Yoon has also dismissed calls for independent investigations into scandals involving his wife and top officials, drawing quick, strong rebukes from his political rivals

Yoon's conservative government has been stuck in an impasse with the Democratic Party over next year's budget bill and has seen his approval rating drop in recent months.

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