Ruling party thwarts impeachment of South Korean president

Only three members of the People Power Party took part in the voting, according to Yonhap news agency.

South Korea’s ruling party has boycotted a vote on the impeachment of the country’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol, over his imposition of martial law earlier this week. The walkout led to the motion being scrapped due to the lack of a quorum.

Only three MPs from Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) took part in the voting at the National Assembly, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported on Saturday.

Earlier during the session, the members of PPP participated in full strength in a re-vote on a bill urging a special counsel investigation into corruption allegations against first lady Kim Keon Hee, which ended up being rejected.

However, when the time came to vote on the president’s impeachment, almost all of them stood up and walked out of the main hall.

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik from the main opposition Democratic Party called on the PPP lawmakers to return.

“You must vote. That is the duty of a patriot, a National Assembly member of the Republic of Korea and an institution that represents the people,” Woo insisted, but his calls were in vain.

After the PPP, which holds 108 seats in the legislature, left the chamber, only 195 MPs remained for the vote. In order for Yoon to be impeached, the motion had to be supported by at least 200 deputies out of 300 in the parliament.

The next available date the South Korean lawmakers can vote on Yoon’s impeachment is Wednesday, December 11.

Earlier on Saturday, the president delivered his first public address since the start of the crisis, saying that he was “deeply sorry” for imposing martial law and has vowed not to do so again.

Yoon stressed that he “will not avoid legal and political responsibility” for his actions. “I will entrust my party with methods to stabilize the political situation, including the remainder of my term,” he said.

On Tuesday, Yoon delivered a surprise televised address, declaring emergency martial law on the grounds that the opposition – which he accused of being sympathetic towards North Korea – had allegedly been preparing a “rebellion.”

Within hours, 190 lawmakers, who managed to access the National Assembly despite military cordons, voted unanimously to lift the decree. Thousands of people took to the streets to condemn their president’s actions.

Less than six hours after imposing martial law, Yoon announced that he had decided to retract his decision.