New motion to impeach Yoon over martial law declaration reported to Nat'l Assembly

All News 14:56 December 13, 2024

By Yi Wonju

SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- A second motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law declaration was reported to the National Assembly on Friday, with the nation reeling from Yoon's Dec. 3 invocation of martial law that triggered unprecedented political turmoil.

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) plans to put the motion up for a vote at an upcoming plenary session at 5:00 p.m. Saturday.

By law, an impeachment motion must be put to a vote between 24 and 72 hours after it is reported to a plenary session.

The first motion to impeach Yoon was scrapped last Sunday as most ruling party lawmakers boycotted the vote. Following the scrapping of the first motion, the DP vowed to push for the passage of Yoon's impeachment every week.

The second motion includes allegations that martial law troops and police attempted to arrest lawmakers under the leadership of the president.

Allegations against first lady Kim Keon Hee, including her suspected involvement in a stock manipulation scheme and interference in election nominations through a power broker, have been removed from the latest motion.

A new motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law declaration is reported to the National Assembly on Dec. 13, 2024. (Yonhap)

Opposition lawmakers submit a second impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol with the National Assembly at the parliamentary office in Seoul on Dec. 12, 2024. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

During Friday's interpellation session, opposition lawmakers will also question the Cabinet members about Yoon's public address the previous day, which largely centered on defending his martial law declaration and denying it was an act of insurrection.

The opposition has requested the attendance of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, Education Minister Lee Ju-ho and Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, among others.

At another interpellation session Wednesday, Han apologized over the martial law turmoil and said no one agreed with Yoon's plan at the brief Cabinet meeting held just minutes before the declaration.