South Korean lawmakers are expected to vote on an opposition motion to impeach the president for declaring martial law earlier this week.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol issued a public apology for his attempt to impose martial law this week, but did not resign, defying intense pressure for him to resign — even from some in his own party — just hours before the scheduled impeachment vote.
In a televised address to the nation on Saturday, Yoon said he would not seek to shirk legal and political responsibility for his decision to invoke the emergency measure of martial law for the first time in South Korea since 1980.
He said his decision was born of “desperation”.
“I am very sorry and would like to sincerely apologize to the people who were shocked,” Yoon said, promising there would be no second attempt.
“I leave it to my party to take measures to stabilize the political situation in the future, including the issue of my mandate,” he said, standing in front of the South Korean flag and bowing afterward. having finished his brief speech.
The speech was the embattled leader's first public appearance since he canceled the martial law order early Wednesday, just six hours after his statement and after Parliament defied an armed military raid and police cordons to vote against the decree, forcing the president to revoke his order.
Han Dong-hoon, head of Yoon's People Power Party (PPP), said after the speech that the president was no longer able to carry out his public duties and his resignation was now inevitable.
On Friday, Han said Yoon posed a danger to the country and should be removed from power. On Saturday, Han met with the country's Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to discuss the crisis, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.
According to the constitution, if Yoon resigns or is impeached, the prime minister, appointed by Yoon, becomes interim president of South Korea.
If Yoon leaves office before his single five-year term ends in May 2027, the constitution requires a presidential election to be held within 60 days of his departure.
Lawmakers are scheduled to vote at 5 p.m. local time (0800 GMT) on the motion by the main opposition Democratic Party to impeach Yoon. Opposition leaders said if the motion failed, they planned to revisit it on Wednesday.
Prosecutors, police and the Senior Officials Corruption Investigation Bureau have all launched investigations into Yoon and senior officials involved in the martial law decree, seeking to pursue charges of insurrection and abuse of power. power, among other things.
Many in South Korea are still reeling from the president's shock announcement Tuesday night, which gave the military sweeping emergency powers to combat unspecified threats from “North Korean communist forces” and ” to eradicate the brazen pro-North anti-state forces.” .
Yoon said martial law was necessary, accusing opposition members in the National Assembly of launching an unprecedented number of impeachment attempts against members of his administration, paralyzing key government operations and d 'having managed the budget in a way that undermines the fundamental functions of government. , including public safety.
Yoon's decision plunged Asia's fourth-largest economy and the United States' main military ally into its biggest political crisis in decades, and threatened to shatter South Korea's reputation as a democratic success story.
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