SEOUL: The Democratic Party of South Korea has introduced a fresh impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol, citing his recent attempt to declare martial law. This initiative follows the failure of an earlier impeachment effort, thwarted by a boycott from Yoon's People Power Party lawmakers.According to Yonhap News Agency, the Democratic Party (DP) and five other opposition parties are spearheading this renewed push for impeachment. The previous motion was dismissed last Saturday due to insufficient attendance, as nearly all lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) abstained from voting. Despite this setback, the DP is committed to pursuing impeachment on a weekly basis.The impeachment motion centers on President Yoon's December 3 declaration of martial law, which the opposition argues contravenes the Constitution and legal requirements. The DP intends to present the motion to a plenary session on Friday, with a vote scheduled for 5 p.m. on Saturday.Under South Korean law, an impeachm ent motion must be voted on between 24 and 72 hours after being introduced in a plenary session. To pass, it requires the support of at least two-thirds of the 300-member National Assembly. The opposition, which holds 192 seats, needs the backing of only eight PPP lawmakers to succeed. As of Thursday, seven PPP members had publicly expressed their support for the impeachment.In response to the proceedings, the National Assembly Secretariat announced it will restrict access to the parliament for external visitors on Friday and Saturday. "All events involving external participants within the National Assembly premises will also be prohibited," a spokesperson stated, emphasizing that only individuals with employee ID or an access pass will be permitted entry.
- September 13, 2026
