Dances to the sound of deafening K-pop, hugs… Some 200,000 demonstrators gathered in front of the National Assembly let their joy burst forth this Saturday, December 14 in Seoul. South Korean MPs have in fact dismissed President Yoon Suk-yeol, after his failed attempt to impose martial law and have Parliament muzzled by the army on December 3. Tens of thousands of demonstrators exulted when Speaker of the House Woo Won-shik announced the result of the vote: 204 votes for impeachment, 85 against, three abstentions and eight invalid ballots. The impeachment motion needed to receive at least 200 votes out of 300 to pass. The opposition, which has 192 deputies, therefore succeeded in switching 12 of the 108 elected representatives from the People’s Power Party (PPP), the formation of Yoon Suk-yeol, to its camp, while 8 from the PPP were needed. for it to pass.
The president is now suspended, awaiting validation of his dismissal by the Constitutional Court within 180 days. If this impeachment is validated, a presidential election will take place within 60 days. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo serves as interim president in the meantime. “This is a victory for the people and for democracy,” said Park Chan-dae, the leader of the deputies of the Democratic Party, the main opposition force. In total, South Korea will have experienced 11 days of chaos.
December 3 and December 4
On December 3, at 10:23 p.m. local time (2:23 p.m. French time), President Yoon Suk-yeol appeared for an unexpected speech. He declared martial law, against a backdrop of budget blockage in Parliament dominated by the opposition. The unpopular 63-year-old leader, elected president in 2022, claims to want to protect the country from “North Korean communist forces”, “eliminate elements hostile to the State” and accuses the Parliament dominated by the opposition of torpedoing all its initiatives and block the country. According to subsequent testimony before the deputies, several senior military and police officials, the president had also ordered the arrest of the leaders of the main political parties, including his own.
At 12:27 a.m. on December 4, deputies attempted to meet urgently at the National Assembly but the institution was sealed and taken over by soldiers. The special forces try to dislodge the elected officials who still managed to enter the hemicycle. Parliamentary staff block their access with furniture, tables and sofas. Thousands of people gather outside to demand the South Korean president’s departure. At 1:03 a.m., the 190 deputies present voted unanimously to lift martial law. The troops begin to retreat to their barracks.
At 4:29 a.m., the president, constitutionally obliged to obey the vote of the deputies, reappears on television and repeals martial law, before disappearing. A few hours later, at 2:43 p.m., the opposition announced that it was going to table a motion for dismissal, while some of its elected officials filed several complaints for “rebellion” against the president, his former ministers of Defense and Interior and other major figures of the brief martial law.
December 5 and 6
The next day, Yoon Suk-yeol’s PPP leader, Han Dong-hoon, said his party would stand against the impeachment motion. This motion only needs to be supported by eight PPP MPs to pass. The police announce the opening of an investigation for “rebellion”, in particular against Yoon Suk-yeol. Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, considered the person who pushed the president to impose martial law, is banned from leaving the country. He had resigned the day before.
On December 6, Han Dong-hoon changed his tune and judged that South Korea was in “great danger” if Yoon Suk-yeol remained in office. Special forces chief Kwak Jong-geun claims to have been ordered to “drag out” MPs gathered in Parliament on the night of martial law. The PPP nevertheless reaffirms that it will defeat the impeachment motion.
December 7
On December 7, at 10:00 a.m., Yoon Suk-yeol made a public appearance. “I have caused anxiety and inconvenience to the public. I offer my sincere apologies,” he said, assuring that he will not declare a second martial law, before bowing to the viewers. But he does not resign and indicates that he is putting his future in the hands of the PPP.
At 4:00 p.m., some 150,000 anti-Yoon protesters gathered in front of Parliament. An hour later, the impeachment motion must be put to a vote. Shortly before 6:00 p.m., almost all PPP deputies boycotted the vote and caused it to fail due to failure to reach a quorum. At 9:30 p.m., the motion is declared invalid and Yoon Suk-yeol is temporarily saved.
December 8 to 13
On December 8, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon claimed that his party had “obtained” Yoon Suk-yeol to step down. Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun is arrested. The day after, the opposition, which plans to submit a second impeachment motion to a vote on December 14, accuses the ruling party of a “second coup d’état”, after martial law. The South Korean president is also banned from leaving the country. On December 10, late in the evening, the former Minister of Defense Kim Yong-hyun is accused of having played a “major role in a rebellion” and committing “abuse of power to obstruct the exercise of rights”.
The next morning, North Korea reacted for the first time: South Korea was plunged into “chaos”, Pyongyang believes. Justice also reports that Kim Yong-hyun attempted suicide in prison. South Korean police attempt to search the presidency but are prevented from entering the main building by security. On December 12, Yoon Suk-yeol spoke up and defended his martial law, assuring that he “will fight until the last minute.” The next day, opposition leader Lee Jae-myung urged PPP MPs to vote for the motion. This will be done for 12 of them this Saturday.