SEOUL — South Korea’s ruling party chief demanded Friday that President Yoon Suk Yeol be stripped of office, warning there was a “significant risk” he could try to impose martial law again.
Yoon late Tuesday declared martial law before being forced into a U-turn after lawmakers dramatically faced down soldiers at parliament and voted to overturn the measure, as thousands protested outside.
“Considering the newly emerging facts, I believe that a swift suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s duties is necessary to safeguard the Republic of Korea and its people,” said Han Dong-hoon, the head of Yoon’s People Power Party, who only a day earlier had said he opposed Yoon’s impeachment.
If Yoon remains, “there is a significant risk that extreme actions similar to the martial law declaration could be repeated, which could put the Republic of Korea and its citizens in great danger,” Han said.
Han said “credible evidence” suggested that Yoon had ordered the arrest of “key politicians” and for them to be placed in a holding facility.
Yoon “does not acknowledge that this illegal martial law is wrong” and has failed to act against the military officials who “illegally intervened,” Han added.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his South Korean counterpart Friday Washington was confident in its ally’s “democratic resilience,” in their first conversation since President Yoon’s attempt to impose martial law.
Blinken “spoke with Foreign Minister (Cho Tae-yul) following deeply concerning developments in (South Korea). He welcomed the lifting of martial law, expressed confidence in the country’s democratic resilience, and reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to our Alliance,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on social media platform X.
A separate statement issued by the State Department said Blinken told his opposite number that he “expects the… democratic process to prevail.”
“Secretary Blinken reaffirmed the progress made in the bilateral relationship, including the robust trilateral partnership with Japan, which promotes our shared values and the prosperity and stability of the Indo-Pacific,” the statement said.
Blinken added that “the American people stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of the Republic of Korea and will continue to do so in the face of any provocations or threats to the Alliance.”
Yoon declared martial law late Tuesday before being forced into a U-turn after lawmakers voted to overturn the measure.
Yoon, 63, is now facing an impeachment vote.
The United States has nearly 30,000 troops stationed in South Korea, a key ally along with Japan in the region amid tensions over North Korea and China.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Wednesday that President Joe Biden’s administration first learned of Yoon’s declaration of martial law via television.
The opposition had already put forward a motion to impeach Yoon that will be voted on at around 7:00 pm (1000 GMT) Saturday, but it had been unclear if it would pass.
But Han’s comments represent a stunning U-turn a day after he had said the PPP would block the motion, which needs a two-thirds majority to pass.
The opposition bloc holds 192 seats in the 300-strong parliament, while the PPP has 108. A successful vote would suspend Yoon from office pending a ruling by the Constitutional Court.
“While there may still be a few ruling party members supporting Yoon Suk Yeol, it seems that Han’s statements today are significantly influenced by the gravity of the situation, particularly the mobilisation of intelligence agencies to arrest politicians,” Shin Yul, professor of political science at Myongji University, told AFP.
“It appears that Han and the party leaders have concluded there is actually a significant possibility that President Yoon may declare a second martial law,” Shin said.
According to media reports, Han was to meet the embattled president — who has not been seen since the early hours of Wednesday — on Friday.
Lawmaker Jo Seung-lae, a spokesperson for the main opposition Democratic Party, told AFP that all the party’s lawmakers would remain inside the National Assembly building until the impeachment vote on Saturday evening.
The decision was made in response to “a lot of tips the party has received” regarding a potential second attempt by Yoon to declare martial law, Jo said.
A fresh opinion poll issued Friday put backing for the 63-year-old president, who has lurched from crisis to crisis since taking office in 2022, at a record low of 13 percent.
A 120-strong dedicated police investigation team has been set up to probe charges of insurrection, police told AFP, filed by the opposition against Yoon and a host of top officials.
“If evidence arises during the investigation suggesting preparations for a second martial law, we will pursue it,” officer Kim San-ho, who is overseeing the investigation, told AFP, adding there was currently no evidence of a second attempt.
On Thursday, Yoon’s office said that Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun had resigned, but other key allies, including Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, remain in office.
Prosecutors have also banned Kim from leaving the country, Yonhap news agency reported.
Lawmakers have been grilling senior figures, including army chief of staff General Park An-su, who acted as Yoon’s martial law commander.
Park said Thursday he was kept in the dark until after the president had announced the imposition of martial law on live television late Tuesday.
Opposition lawmaker Jo Seung-lae said Friday that security camera footage indicated that soldiers were attempting to arrest opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, and PPP chief Han.
The head of South Korean special forces, Kwak Jong-geun, said Friday that he had been ordered to “drag out” lawmakers inside the parliament.
But Yonhap quoted Yoon’s office as denying that he ordered the arrest or detention of lawmakers.
In his late Tuesday address to the nation, Yoon had said that martial law would “safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements plundering people’s freedom and happiness.”
The bombshell announcement brought back painful memories of South Korea’s autocratic past and caught its allies offguard, with the US administration only finding out via television.
Media reports said US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has cancelled a planned visit to South Korea — where nearly 30,000 US troops are stationed — next week.
Security forces sealed the National Assembly, helicopters landed on the roof, and almost 300 soldiers tried to lock down the building.
But as parliamentary staffers blocked the soldiers with sofas and fire extinguishers, enough MPs got inside — many climbed walls to enter — and voted down Yoon’s move.
“We cannot entrust the operation of the government to a president who threatens the lives of the sovereign people through unconstitutional and illegal actions, even for a moment,” Democratic Party chief Lee said Friday.
