SEOUL, South Korea — On Sunday, the leader of South Korea’s opposition party pledged to collaborate with the government in an effort to alleviate the ongoing political crisis. This follows a significant event where the opposition-dominated parliament voted to impeach conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol due to a brief attempt to enforce martial law. The turmoil has prompted government officials to seek reassurances from both allies and financial markets.
Lee Jae-myung, the head of the Liberal Democratic Party, which holds a majority in the National Assembly, urged the Constitutional Court to expedite its ruling on Yoon’s impeachment. Additionally, he suggested forming a special council aimed at fostering policy collaboration between the parliament and the government. Currently, Yoon’s executive powers are suspended until the court decides on his impeachment—a decision that could either unseat him or restore his authority. If he is removed from office, a national election must occur within 60 days to choose his successor.
Lee, who has been a vocal opponent of Yoon’s administration, is viewed as a leading candidate to potentially fill the presidential role, having narrowly lost the 2022 election to Yoon. During a televised conference, he emphasized that a rapid decision from the court would be essential to “minimize national confusion and the suffering of people.” The court is set to discuss the impeachment case on Monday, with up to 180 days allotted for its ruling; however, it is anticipated that a decision may arrive sooner based on historical precedents involving past impeachments.
In addition to calling for a court ruling, Lee advocated for a national council where both the government and the National Assembly could cooperate to stabilize the nation’s affairs. He also indicated that his party does not intend to pursue an impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, currently serving as acting president following Yoon’s suspension. “The Democratic Party will actively work with all factions to restore stability to state affairs and regain international trust,” Lee remarked. “The National Assembly and the government must join forces to address the ongoing crisis.”
However, the realization of Lee’s proposed council remains uncertain. In discussions about the idea with the parliament speaker, Prime Minister Han stated his intention to engage in close communication with the Assembly but did not specify if the government would participate in the proposed council. Meanwhile, ruling party leader Kweon Seong-dong criticized Lee’s initiative, expressing that the opposition party should not overstep its bounds by acting like the governing party. Kweon, a staunch supporter of Yoon, asserted that their party will engage with existing channels to uphold the responsibilities of governance until Yoon’s term concludes.
The Democratic Party has already leveraged its parliamentary majority to impeach both the justice minister and the national police chief concerning the martial law incident, and it has indicated that impeachment proceedings against the prime minister may also be a consideration. Following his ascension to the role of acting president, Han instructed the military to heighten its security measures to guard against any provocations from North Korea. He also directed the foreign minister to inform international partners that South Korea’s critical foreign policies would remain unchanged, and encouraged the finance minister to mitigate any adverse economic impacts stemming from the political upheaval.
On Sunday, Han conversed with U.S. President Joe Biden regarding the political landscape in South Korea and the security challenges posed by North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. Biden expressed his admiration for the resilience of democracy in South Korea and reiterated the unwavering commitment of the United States to its ally.
The martial law decree Yoon attempted to impose on December 3 was the first of its kind in over forty years and lasted a mere six hours. Yet, it ignited a wave of political unrest, disrupted diplomatic initiatives, and unsettled financial markets. Yoon was compelled to rescind the order after parliament unanimously voted to annul it, despite sending numerous troops and police to the legislative body in an effort to impede the vote. Fortunately, the incident did not escalate into significant violence.
Opposition parties have accused Yoon of engaging in rebellion, asserting that martial law can only be declared during wartime or critical emergencies, and that the president lacks the authority to suspend parliamentary session even under such conditions. Yoon has rebuffed these allegations, vowing to “fight to the end,” and stated that the military presence in parliament was a warning directed at the Democratic Party for allegedly undermining state affairs through its legislative tactics.
Law enforcement agencies are currently investigating Yoon and others involved in the martial law situation, examining possible charges of rebellion and related crimes. Several high-ranking figures, including Yoon’s defense minister and police chief, have already been arrested. While Yoon enjoys immunity from many criminal charges as president, this protection does not extend to claims of rebellion or treason. He is currently not permitted to leave South Korea, though there are doubts that authorities would detain him due to potential conflicts with his presidential security detail.
Reports indicate that prosecutors had requested Yoon to appear before them for questioning on Sunday, a request he declined. Officials plan to seek his attendance again in future proceedings. Meanwhile, Lee has called for the expeditious completion of the investigations and urged the establishment of an independent inquiry led by a special prosecutor, following the National Assembly’s recent approval of legislation to facilitate such an investigation.
