SOUTH KOREA: Pres. Yoon Faces Impeachment Vote 6/7 Dec After Martial Law Chaos

President Yoon Suk-yeol is set to face an impeachment vote in the National Assembly on Friday 6 or Saturday 7 December following his declaration of martial law and the subsequent political and social chaos caused. In order for the impeachment vote to pass, it needs at least 200 votes in the 300-member National Assembly. The parties of the opposition, dominated by the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) currently hold 192 seats, compared to 108 for the conservative People Power Party (PPP) of which Yoon is a member. 

• Chosun Ilbo reports PPP leader Han Dong-hoon calling for three measures in response to the imposition of martial law: the resignation of the cabinet, the dismissal of the Minister of National Defense, and Yoon leaving the PPP.
• DPK leader Lee Jae-myung said that he had talked on the matter with Han during the night's plenary session, but Han claims “I have never discussed impeachment with the Democratic Party.”
• As such, the actions of PPP lawmakers will prove crucial. If eight PPP members vote with the entire opposition bloc against Yoon, it will be enough for impeachment. If rejected, the opposition plans to call a separate emergency plenary session and submit another impeachment motion.
• An impeachment resolution would be immediately sent to the Office of the President, with all of Yoon's duties suspended and PM Han Duck-soo made acting president. The Constitutional Court would then hold an impeachment trial. If it finds against Yoon he will be removed from office, but if it finds in favour then he will be returned.
• The previous impeachment trial of President Park Gye-hun in 2016-17 took around three months to complete.