A plan to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol over his brief declaration of martial law failed on Saturday after lawmakers from his ruling People Power Party (PPP) walked out of parliament, disrupting the planned vote, reported NBC News.
The mass departure came after the legislators had voted on a separate motion, leaving the opposition eight votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass the impeachment motion. Opposition lawmakers, who hold 192 of the National Assembly's 300 seats, vowed to revisit the motion on Wednesday, amid growing public outrage over Yoon's unprecedented action.
Earlier on Saturday, Yoon issued a televised apology, describing his declaration of martial law as a decision “stemmed from the urgency” of his responsibilities as president but acknowledging that it “caused anxiety and inconvenience to the public.”
“I deeply regret this and sincerely apologize to the citizens who were alarmed,” Yoon said, according to NBC News, adding, “I will not evade the legal and political responsibility regarding this declaration of martial law.” In the two-minute address, he promised not to issue another martial law order, bowed deeply to the cameras, and left without taking questions.
The fallout from Yoon’s declaration has been swift. Han Dong-hoon, leader of the PPP, urged the president to step down, stating, “It has become impossible for him to carry out his normal presidential duties.” Meanwhile, Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party and Yoon’s rival in the 2022 presidential election, said the address fell far short of expectations.
Despite efforts by the opposition, the impeachment motion has stalled, while a separate bill to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate corruption allegations against Yoon’s wife was narrowly defeated before the PPP walkout. Public opinion, however, appears strongly against Yoon. Demonstrators in large numbers have called for his resignation, though smaller groups have expressed support for him.
The martial law order, which was South Korea’s first since 1980, came abruptly on Tuesday night and was lifted early Wednesday morning after lawmakers stormed the National Assembly to vote unanimously against it. The order banned political activity, censored media, and mandated striking doctors to return to work.
The move triggered widespread condemnation, including from Yoon’s allies. Han Dong-hoon, the PPP leader, joined the opposition's calls for Yoon’s resignation, marking a rare display of unity in South Korean politics. Yoon has since accepted the resignation of his defense minister and other top officials.