SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s ruling party leader said on Friday that President Yoon Seok-yeol, who tried to impose martial law, needed to be removed from power for the country’s security, but urged party members to impeach him. It stopped short of urging people to vote yes.
Yun shocked the public and his ruling People Power Party on Tuesday by announcing he would impose martial law to eradicate “anti-national forces” and defeat his obstructionist political opponents.
He reversed course about six hours after parliament, including some members of his own party, voted against the order.
Speaking after a party meeting at the National Assembly on Friday, party leader Han Dong-hoon said he ordered the arrest of prominent politicians because Yoon was part of “anti-national forces” under martial law.
The main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan, is planning to vote on impeachment on Saturday night, and the National Police has launched an investigation into Yun on suspicion of sedition by opposition parties and activists.
On Thursday, the ruling party said it was opposed to impeachment, but Han said there was “credible evidence” that Yoon intended to arrest and detain political leaders in the city of Gwacheon, just south of Seoul. He suggested that the position may be changing.
“Yesterday, I said that I would try not to pass this impeachment in order to prevent damage to the people and supporters from unexpected chaos, but in order to protect the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea, President Yun Seok-Yeong’s immediate removal from office is necessary. I believe that there is.”I would like the public to understand this based on the newly revealed facts,” Han said.
He did not explicitly call for impeachment or respond to reporters’ requests for clarification.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, said the declaration of martial law was a rebellion launched by the president to maintain and expand his power.
“This is an act of rebellion,” he said. “This is a pro-military coup.”
