The crisis escalates in South Korea and the opposition threatens to impeach the president news

The last few hours witnessed an escalation in the political crisis in South Korea Against the backdrop of President Yoon Suk-Yul’s announcement of imposing martial law for a few hours before he backed down in the face of Parliament’s rejection of it, in a move that sparked an internal crisis and international concern.

In the latest developments, the South Korean opposition threatened to impeach President Yoon if he did not submit his resignation, and the main opposition party in South Korea – which enjoys a parliamentary majority – said today, Wednesday, in a statement, “If the president does not resign immediately, the Democratic Party will immediately launch procedures to implement his removal.” to the will of the people.”

Earlier, Democratic Party leader Park Chan-dae said in a statement, “Even if martial law is lifted, it is impossible to avoid charges of rebellion,” adding, “He must step down,” referring to President Yoon.

In turn, the leader of the ruling party considered Yoon’s decision to impose martial law “tragic,” calling for “all those responsible to be held accountable” for this failed attempt.

Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, told reporters – in a live television broadcast – “The president must directly and comprehensively explain this tragic situation,” stressing that “all those responsible for this matter must be held strictly accountable.”

The largest labor union in the country, for its part, called for an open general strike until the president’s resignation. The Korean Federation of Trade Unions – which has 1.2 million members – said that the President of the Republic took an “irrational and anti-democratic measure” and thus “signed the document for the end of his rule.”

Meanwhile, a number of senior aides to the South Korean president submitted their resignations en masse on Wednesday after his attempt to impose martial law in the country failed, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The agency said that “important aides to Leon”, led by Presidential Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-seok, submitted their resignation en masse, without further details.

Failed to impose martial law

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol submitted on Tuesday-Wednesday night to the legislative authority’s decision to lift the martial law that he had imposed hours earlier, only to find himself faced with voices from all directions demanding that he step down.

With his shocking decision to impose martial law in South Korea, in an unprecedented step in more than 4 decades, Yoon caused the deepest unrest his country has witnessed in its modern democratic history.

The sudden announcement of the imposition of martial law in South Korea on Tuesday-Wednesday night came in the midst of a political crisis between the president and the opposition centered around the general budget.

Following the president’s decision, the opposition-dominated National Assembly (Parliament) quickly voted to lift the rulings. About 190 deputies (out of 300) were able to enter Parliament and voted unanimously to lift martial law. But the army announced that it would not implement its decision if the president did not order it to do so.

Ultimately, the government approved the lifting of martial law overnight, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Martial law was lifted following a televised speech, in which Yoon said: “A short while ago, there was a request from the National Assembly to lift the state of emergency. We have withdrawn the army that was deployed to implement martial law operations. We will accept the National Assembly’s request and lift martial law.”

The Parliament building was closed after martial law was imposed, and helicopters landed on its roof. South Korean Army Commander General Park In-soo took responsibility for implementing martial law, and issued a decree banning “all political activities.”

Masked soldiers briefly entered Parliament, while hundreds outside confronted security forces charged with protecting the building, chanting, “Stop Yoon Suk-yeol.”

Yoon announced the imposition of martial law in a televised speech on Tuesday-Wednesday night, surprising the nation.

“In order to protect liberal South Korea from the threats posed by communist forces, and eliminate anti-state elements that rob people’s freedom and happiness, I hereby declare emergency martial law,” Yoon said in his speech.

South Korea is still its neighbor north korea The nuclear-armed nation has been officially at war since the end of the conflict on the Korean peninsula in 1953.

International reactions

The White House expressed its “satisfaction” with Yoon’s reversal of his decision to impose martial law.

A spokesman for the US National Security Council said in a statement, “We are relieved that President Yoon retracted his decision to impose martial law and respected the Korean National Assembly’s vote to terminate the work” in this exceptional situation.

In turn, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken welcomed the lifting of martial law in South Korea and called for resolving the differences in this country “peacefully.”

South Korea, with its democratic political system, is a major ally in Asia of the United States, which deploys thousands of soldiers on its territory.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced on Wednesday that his country is following “with great and exceptional concern” the situation in Seoul, where the South Korean president imposed martial law for a few hours before Parliament forced him to lift it.

Ishiba added in a statement to reporters that he was not aware of “any information indicating that Japanese citizens were injured” in South Korea, where confrontations took place between security forces and protesters against the president’s decision to impose martial law.

For its part, China, an ally of North Korea, urged its citizens in South Korea to exercise the utmost caution.

Concern was a prevalent feature in most international positions, as Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “The situation is worrying. We are following it closely,” while a spokesman for United Nations Secretary Antonio Guterres confirmed that the latter is following the situation, which is “evolving rapidly.”