The leader of South Korea’s ruling party, Han Dong-hoon, is calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol to be suspended from duty due to what he claims is “grave danger” posed by the president’s actions. This comes after Han received “credible evidence” that Yoon ordered the arrest of key politicians during the short-lived martial law imposed on Tuesday night.
Han’s dramatic reversal of opinion is a significant blow to Yoon’s presidency, which is already under pressure ahead of an impeachment vote in parliament. Han’s call for suspension is the latest sign that support for Yoon is wavering within his own party, which had previously opposed impeachment, citing the risk of unrest and chaos.
Han’s statement follows Yoon’s late-night martial law decree, which was met with shock and anger across the country. The decree was quickly struck down by lawmakers, and many are demanding Yoon’s impeachment. Han’s new stance is a major shift, as he had previously vowed to work to prevent the president’s impeachment.
The ruling party’s deputy director, Jehua Ryu, downplayed the significance of Han’s call, stating that suspension is not the same as impeachment, and that there are other ways to suspend the president’s authority. Han is currently meeting with Yoon to discuss the matter.
The South Korean leader faces growing calls to resign, with lawmakers debating a motion to impeach him. With an impeachment motion requiring a two-thirds majority in the 300-person legislature, the Democratic Party, minor opposition parties, and independents would need to secure the support of at least eight members of Yoon’s People Power Party to pass the motion.
