5-12-2024 (SEOUL) Ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon has called for President Yoon Suk Yeol’s departure from the People Power Party (PPP), while simultaneously working to prevent his impeachment.
Speaking to reporters on December 5, Han confirmed he had “demanded the president’s resignation from the party,” whilst emphasising that the PPP was “not trying to defend the president’s unconstitutional martial law.” The announcement marks a significant shift in the ruling party’s stance towards their embattled leader.
The political tension has escalated following Yoon’s controversial declaration of martial law, the first such proclamation in over 40 years, which has stirred uncomfortable memories of South Korea’s authoritarian past. The president has not made any public appearances since his televised address in the early hours of December 4.
The main opposition Democratic Party is preparing to table an impeachment motion, scheduled for vote at 7pm on December 7. PPP floor leader Choo Kyung-ho has promised unified resistance from the party’s 108 lawmakers, though the opposition requires just eight ruling party defectors to secure the motion’s passage.
Should the impeachment motion succeed, Yoon would face immediate suspension pending a Constitutional Court review. A court ruling in favour of impeachment would trigger new elections within 60 days.
The crisis has already claimed its first casualty with the resignation of Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, though other key figures, including Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, remain in their posts.
The political upheaval represents the latest in a series of challenges for Yoon’s administration since taking office in 2022, with the martial law declaration potentially proving the most serious threat to his presidency yet.
