South Korean lawmakers have submitted a bill on Wednesday to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol after he declared martial law in the country on Tuesday, December 3.
Yeol, a major U.S. ally, had eventually rescinded the decision hours later after a disorganised standoff between the parliament and army.
The parliament had rejected Yoon’s surprise declaration of martial law, – a law which attempted to outlaw political activity and censor the country’s media – as armed troops forced their way into the National Assembly building in Seoul.
Six South Korean opposition parties had eventually submitted a bill in parliament to impeach Yoon, who is already facing accusations of heavy-handed leadership from his opponents and from within his own party, with voting set for Friday or Saturday.
A plenary session to officially introduce the bill is scheduled to begin shortly after midnight (15:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
But Civic and labour groups had held a candlelight vigil in downtown Seoul on Wednesday evening, chanting for Yoon’s resignation after which they then began marching towards the presidential office.
The Defence Minister, Kim Yong-hyun who is the leader of Yoon’s ruling People Power Party had called for Yoon to be fired and his entire cabinet to resign even as he [Kim] has offered to step down, according to the defence ministry.
In a television speech broadcasted on Tuesday, Yoon told the nation that martial law was needed to defend the country from pro-North Korean anti-state forces, and fortify the free constitutional order, although he did not cite any specific threats.
Troops had made attempts to seize control of the parliament building, but they stood back when parliamentary aides assaulted them with fire extinguishers, and protesters scuffled with police outside.
Within hours of the martial law declaration, South Korea’s parliament, (with 190 of its 300 members present), unitedly passed a motion for martial law be voided, in the presence of 18 members of Yoon’s party.
Afterwards, the president then rescinded the declaration of martial law, about six hours after its proclamation.
In the aftermath of this latest development, protesters outside the National Assembly shouted and clapped, singing “We won!”
At the time of filing this report, there has been no reaction yet from North Korea to the drama in the South.
Yoon however, caused unease among South Koreans by branding his critics as “communist totalitarian and anti-state forces” as his approval ratings dipped.
