Massive protests demand Yoon’s ouster as parliament set to vote on impeachment motion
SEOUL – A massive crowd of protesters gathered on Saturday in Yeouido, west of Seoul, where the National Assembly is located, demanding the ouster of President Yoon Suk Yeol in response to the martial law turmoil earlier this week. Meanwhile, the parliament was preparing to vote on an impeachment motion against him, according to Yonhap news agency.
Yoon declared emergency martial law in an unexpected decision Tuesday night but subsequently lifted it hours later as the opposition-controlled parliament voted to reject it.
In a brief televised address on Saturday morning, President Yoon Suk Yeol said he would not evade legal or political responsibility for the martial law declaration and pledged not to attempt to impose it again. He also expressed his intention to leave it to his party to navigate the country’s political turmoil.
“The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologise to the people who must have been shocked a lot,” Yoon said.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), one of the largest umbrella labour unions in the country, participated in the gathering.
“An apology cannot cover up treason,” the KCTU said in a statement while calling for the “immediate impeachment and arrest” of Yoon.
Additionally, the Korean Bar Association issued a statement shortly after Yoon’s public address, declaring its support for impeachment. “We agree with the impeachment of the president for disrupting the constitutional order through an unconstitutional declaration of martial law.”
The police plan to deploy hundreds of officers to manage traffic and direct vehicles around the march route in central Seoul and Yeouido.
“Although this is an extremely sensitive and challenging situation, we will do our utmost to ensure safety,” a police official said. “We will communicate with the organisers to minimise inconvenience to citizens.”
Since taking office in 2022, President Yoon, a conservative, has faced challenges in advancing his agenda in an opposition-controlled parliament and has struggled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving both himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon described parliament as a “den of criminals” hindering state affairs and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea sympathisers and anti-state forces.”
If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended pending a decision by the Constitutional Court on whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must be held within 60 days.
