South Korean President Yoon Loses Support of Ruling Party Leader
Citizen protests in South Korea, Dec. 6, 2024. X/ @wd_daily
December 6, 2024 Hour: 8:14 am
Han Dong-hoon paved the way for the impeachment motion the National Assembly is expected to vote on Saturday.
On Friday, Han Dong-hoon, leader of South Korea’s conservative People Power Party (PPP), withdrew his support for President Yoon Suk-yeol, who appears closer to being impeached by the National Assembly on Saturday.
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Han met with Yoon, who has not made any public appearances since his early Wednesday morning televised address announcing the lifting of the state of emergency, just six hours after imposing it.
All eyes were on the outcome of their meeting, with expectations of hints about a possible resignation by Yoon or a definitive stance from Han that would set the PPP’s course. These developments might have brought the country closer to resolving the political turmoil triggered by the imposition of martial law.
Although Yoon’s position regarding the political and social outcry against him remains unclear, recent statements by Han—who had previously maintained an ambiguous stance on the president’s political future—seem to pave the way for the impeachment motion the National Assembly is expected to vote on by Saturday at the latest.
Call for Immediate Suspension of Yoon
“Given the recently revealed facts, I believe it is necessary to immediately suspend President Yoon Suk-yeol from his duties to protect the Republic of Korea and its people,” Han stated during an emergency meeting of his party.
Han claimed he had verified “reliable evidence” that Yoon had issued orders to detain him, the leader of his own party, or Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP). He argued that such “radical actions” that put the country “in great danger” could recur if Yoon remains in power.
The PPP has called for an emergency meeting of all its lawmakers on Friday to discuss their voting stance in Saturday’s parliamentary session, where Yoon’s impeachment will be decided.
Han’s remarks are seen as a shift in his message to PPP lawmakers. Until recently, he had called for unity to prevent Yoon’s removal. Now, his words are interpreted as encouraging them to vote in favor of the impeachment motion.
For the parliamentary initiative to pass, it requires the support of two-thirds of the chamber, meaning the opposition bloc (which holds a clear majority with 192 seats) will need at least eight additional votes from the 108 lawmakers of the ruling PPP.
Disobeyed Military Orders and Rumors of a New Martial Law
In recent hours, various voices have warned of “suspicious” movements within the military, which could indicate plans for a second martial law following the brief implementation of the first.
“The claim that a ‘second martial law scenario’ is being prepared, as some suggested this morning, is completely false. Even if an order to reimpose martial law were issued, the Ministry of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff would absolutely not accept it,” said Acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho, who assumed the role following the resignation of Kim Yung-hyun.
Alongside the acting minister’s statement, revelations surfaced today of senior military officials who disobeyed orders to implement harsher measures under martial law. This contrasts with other officials who, like the former defense minister, have been implicated as proponents of the state of emergency.
Kwak Jong-keun, head of South Korea’s Special Forces Command, admitted to defying orders from the former defense minister to forcibly remove lawmakers from the National Assembly who had refused to vacate the chamber. He also revealed that he had decided against issuing live ammunition to the soldiers deployed to the parliament, citing “some unjustifiable incidents” he observed during the operation.
Lee Sang-hyun, commander of the First Airborne Special Forces Brigade sent to the parliament, said he initially believed it was “an anti-terrorism operation.” Upon realizing “the targets were civilians,” he refused to distribute live ammunition to his troops and ordered them to sling their rifles over their shoulders to “avoid any conflict with civilians.”
During the initial hours of martial law, scenes of intense tension unfolded around and within the National Assembly. Armed soldiers clashed with politicians, staff, and journalists who defied evacuation orders and even criticized them for following Yoon’s decrees.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE
