Last Saturday, opposition lawmakers attempted to impeach the president but failed as lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote. However, opposition party lawmakers plan to hold another impeachment vote this weekend and have pledged to hold an impeachment vote every Saturday until Rep. Yoon is dismissed.
After the impeachment was rejected, floor leader Choo Kyung-ho resigned, and Rep. Yoon Gye-yeol and Kwon Seong-dong were elected as successors on Thursday.
Rep. Kwon told reporters that day that he would discuss with the referendum lawmakers whether they should continue to oppose President Yoon’s impeachment.
The Yoon ruling party hoped to persuade the president to resign early rather than force him to resign.
A few minutes before Representative Yoon spoke, party leader Han Dong-hoon appeared on TV and said, “This has become clear.” The president will not step down. One lawmaker then urged party members to vote to remove him this Saturday.
The opposition tabled another impeachment motion on Thursday, setting the stage for a vote on Saturday at 17:00 (GMT).
If the National Assembly passes the impeachment bill, a trial will be held at the Constitutional Court. For Rep. Yoon to be permanently dismissed, a two-thirds majority of the relevant court must be maintained.
Rep. Yoon has served as a lame duck president since the opposition party won a landslide victory in the April general election. His government was unable to pass the legislation it wanted and was reduced to rejecting bills proposed by the opposition party.
Rep. Yoon also declared martial law on the night of December 3, accusing North Korean sympathizers of trying to weaken his government.
This announcement plunged the country into political chaos. Protesters confronted security forces in front of the National Assembly, and members of the National Assembly did their best to reject Prosecutor General Yoon’s order.
Rep. Yoon withdrew martial law just hours after it was blocked in the National Assembly.
Since then, the country has remained in unrest. There were large-scale protests and strikes demanding the impeachment of President Yoon, and the Blue House was searched and seized on Wednesday while President Yoon was investigated several times for civil war and treason.
Meanwhile, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who resigned and took responsibility for declaring martial law, attempted suicide while in custody on Tuesday, officials said. He is in stable condition.
