Ruling party chief supports impeaching president

Han Dong-hoon, chairman of the ruling People Power Party, speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap Han Dong-hoon calls emergency meeting to expel Yoon from party over martial law decree By Jung Min-ho Han Dong-hoon, leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), expressed support, Thursday, for impeaching President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law declaration, saying that removing him is the only viable option left to restore political stability in the face of the defiant president. He even said Yoon’s address earlier on Thursday, in which he defended his martial law declaration, amounted to a confession of his treason charges.

His remarks came two days before the National Assembly is set to hold a second vote for Yoon's impeachment. “We thought (Yoon’s) voluntary resignation would be a swifter, more predictable way than impeachment ..



. But it has been confirmed that the option is no longer viable,” Han said at a press conference in the Assembly. “The president must be immediately suspended from all duties, including the legal authority over the military.

Having confirmed that he isn’t willing to step down, there is a need to suspend him now. We should prevent (political and social) confusion from spreading further.” Han called on all PPP lawmakers to participate in the next impeachment vote and do so according to their “beliefs and conscience” and “for the nation and the people,” implying his encouragement for them to vote in favor of impeachment.

He then called an emergency meeting of the PPP’s ethics committee to discuss whether Yoon’s party membership should be stripped, as some leaders within the party are moving to distance themselves from the embattled, unpopular president. Han's reversal of stance increases the likelihood that the next impeachment attempt will be successful. Yoon survived the first one on Dec.

7, after all but three PPP lawmakers boycotted the vote. Given that the opposition bloc holds 192 seats in the Assembly, if eight PPP lawmakers decide to vote against the president, an impeachment motion will be passed. Seven PPP lawmakers including the initial three who voted on Dec.

7 — Cho Kyoung-tae, Ahn Cheol-soo, Kim Sang-wook, Kim Yea-ji, Kim Jae-sub, Jin Jong-oh and Han Zee-a — have so far openly said they would vote in favor of impeachment. However, the impeachment motion may now require nine votes from PPP lawmakers after the Supreme Court upheld the lower court verdict that convicted Cho Kuk of academic fraud involving his children and unlawful interference with a government inspection. As a result, he lost his Assembly seat, which will be given to the party’s proportional representation candidate next in line.

This process could take several days. After the ruling, Cho said he would ask the relevant authorities to expedite it. At least 24 PPP lawmakers reportedly said they would cast their votes this time, though the 17 others did not explicitly say they would vote for or against impeachment.

Calls supporting Yoon's impeachment are growing all across the ruling party even outside the parliament. Oh Se-hoon, mayor of Seoul and one of the strongest contenders for the next presidency, joined the list of PPP heavyweights to accept the idea, although reluctantly. After the imposition of the short-lived martial law, Oh previously expressed his objection to impeaching Yoon.

“It’s time to make a decision for the future of Korea,” Oh said in a social media post. “What has been revealed so far is sufficient for (Yoon’s) impeachment and it needs to be judged by the law.” According to a survey released on Thursday by pollster Realmeter, 74.

8 percent of the 507 respondents said Yoon should immediately leave office, voluntarily or by impeachment. Of those who identified themselves as liberals, 92 percent said they would support the idea, while 43 percent of self-identified conservatives agreed. Among those politically neutral, 83 percent said they also agreed.

At the Assembly plenary session held later that day, Assembly members, led by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, approved a special counsel bill to investigate whether Yoon committed any violations of the law, including treason, before and after his martial law order. They also passed a bill mandating a special counsel probe into two key accusations involving Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee — her alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scheme and interference in election nominations through a power broker. They also approved impeachment motions against Justice Minister Park Sung-jae and Cho Ji-ho, head of the Korean National Police Agency, for their alleged roles in implementing the martial law order.

They were immediately suspended from all duties..