Yoon Suk-yeol Photo: Getty images
South Korean President Yun Suk-young survived an impeachment attempt initiated by the opposition on Saturday, as a vote in parliament failed to reach the required number of votes due to a boycott by ruling party MPs. This was reported by Reuters.
In order to dismiss Yoon, 200 votes out of 300 were required, but only 195 deputies took part in the vote. “Therefore, I declare that the vote on this initiative is invalid,” said Woo Won-shik, speaker of the South Korean National Assembly.
The president’s opponents filed the petition after Yun Suk-yol attempted to impose martial law on Tuesday night, a measure unprecedented since the 1980 military coup of dictator Chung Doo-hwan. The president sent the army to parliament to prevent a vote on the martial law decree.
Yun Suk-yeol apologised for his attempt to impose martial law, but refused to resign despite intense pressure, including from politicians in his own party. He stated that he would not try to avoid legal and political responsibility for his decision to declare martial law, explaining that it was a desperate situation.
The president’s speech was his first public appearance since he cancelled the martial law decree on Wednesday, six hours after it was signed, when MPs gathered to vote against it despite restrictions by the army and police.
“I am very sorry, and I sincerely apologise to the people who were shocked,” Yoon said in a TV interview, during which he bowed his head in apology. “I leave this matter to my party to resolve in order to stabilise the political situation in the future, including the issue of my mandate,” he added.
