South Korean lawmakers seek president's impeachment after 6-hour martial law declaration
South Korean lawmakers called on President Yoon Suk Yeol to resign or face impeachment after he declared martial law only to lift the order hours later.
SEOUL, South Korea — Opposition lawmakers in South Korea moved to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday after he shocked the East Asian democracy by declaring martial law only to lift the order hours later under intense pressure.
Six opposition parties, led by the Democratic Party that controls the parliament, submitted articles of impeachment against Yoon on Wednesday afternoon local time, swiftly responding to what the Democratic Party called the Yoon administration’s “unconstitutional and illegal declaration of martial law.”
Voting on the Yoon impeachment motion, which requires a two-thirds majority vote by members of the unicameral legislature to pass, could take place as early as Friday or Saturday. The Constitutional Court would then hold a trial to determine whether to confirm the impeachment motion.
The Democratic Party later said it had also submitted articles of impeachment against Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. Kim said he had resigned, and that all responsibility for the martial law declaration “lies with me alone.”
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