The Korean opposition filed a petition to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol

South Korea’s opposition lawmakers have begun impeachment proceedings against President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed attempt to impose martial law.

The country woke up to an uncertain reality on Wednesday after a night that witnessed unprecedented scenes when Yoon suddenly imposed martial law, 190 lawmakers gathered to vote and decided to be sudden reversal. about six hours later.

After introduction Following the impeachment move, South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party condemned Yoon’s initial declaration of martial law as an “act of sedition”.

Congress will have to vote on whether to impeach Yoon before Saturday.

“We cannot allow democracy to collapse any further,” said Kim Yong-jin, a member of the Democratic Party’s central committee. People’s lives and safety must be protected.”

The party also said it wanted to charge Yoon with “the crime of rebellion”.

It named Minister Kim Yong-hyun and Interior Minister Lee Sang-min as “key participants” of the martial law declaration, said it also wanted them charged along with Yoon.

However, South Korea’s ruling People’s Power Party, of which Mr. Yoon is a member, has agreed to oppose his impeachment, according to the country’s Yonhap news agency.

The opposition needs at least eight of the ruling party’s 108 lawmakers to support the bill for it to pass.

No ruling party lawmakers were present to introduce the motion in Parliament in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Schools, banks and government offices in Seoul were destroyed works as usual on Wednesday, but protests continued across the city demanding the president’s resignation.

“Arrest Yoon Suk Yeol,” some angry residents chanted as they flooded the streets.

South Korea’s largest labor group, the Korean Federation of Trade Unions, announced it would strike indefinitely until the president resigns.

On Wednesday, Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun submitted his resignation and said he would take full responsibility for martial law. He apologized to the public for sowing confusion and causing distress, the ministry said in a statement..

Yoon’s senior aides, including chief of staff Chung Jin-suk and national security adviser Shin Won-sik, also submitted their resignations.

Whether their resignation will be accepted by Yoon or not not clear.

The shock reversal early Wednesday came after dramatic scenes overnight.

Hundreds of soldiers stormed parliament after Yoon declared martial law, while military helicopters circled the area.

Some opposition lawmakers broke through barricades and climbed fences to enter the voting booth. Woo Won-shik, the chairman of the National Assembly, told BBC Korea that he rushed to the parliament thinking “we must protect democracy” and climbed over the fence.

Last, 190 lawmakers evaded police barricades and were forced inside to vote to repeal the order.

Thousands of protesters also arrived at the gates of the National Assembly. Video captured the scene of a woman snatching a soldier’s gun.

Democratic Party spokesman Ahn Gwi-ryeong told the BBC: “At first I was scared… but seeing such a confrontation, I thought, ‘I can’t stay silent’.”

Yoon’s second announcement – that he would reverse the previous order – was met with cheers from protesters outside parliament.

Yoon, who was elected with the thinnest margin in South Korean history and a record low approval rating, said he declared martial law because he feared North Korean communist forces would take power in the country. This.

The president’s office defended the initial decision as “serious”. [the country’s] constitutional framework.” On Wednesday, it said the announcement was made at the right time to “minimize the damage” to the economy and people’s lives.

South Korea’s allies have expressed concern about the events, with US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell sharing “deep concerns”.

US and NATO chief Mark Rutte welcomed the cancellation on Wednesday. Rutte said this demonstrated a commitment to complying with the law and affirmed the alliance’s “ironclad” relationship with South Korea.

Once an impeachment bill is proposed, two-thirds of the 300 members of the Korean National Assembly must vote for impeachment – meaning at least 200 votes. Voting must take place within 72 hours.

Once the impeachment is passed, the president will be immediately suspended from office, while the prime minister will become acting president.

A trial will then be held before the Constitutional Court, a nine-member panel that oversees South Korea’s branches of government. This process can take up to 180 days.

If six members of the court vote in favor of impeachment, the president will be removed from office.

In 2016, then-President Park Guen-hye was impeached after being accused of bribery, abuse of state power and leaking state secrets.

In 2004, another South Korean president, Roh Moo-hyun, was impeached and suspended for two months. The Constitutional Court later reinstated him.

If Yoon resigns or is impeached, the government will have to hold an election within 60 days for the country to elect a new leader, who will begin a new five-year term.

According to South Korea’s constitution, the president has the power to declare martial law during war, armed conflict or other national emergencies.

The last time martial law was declared in the country was in 1979, when longtime military dictator Park Chung-hee was assassinated in a coup.

A group of military leaders, led by General Chun Doo-hwan, declared martial law in 1980, banning political activities and arresting dissidents.

Hundreds of people were killed in the crackdown on protesters before martial law was lifted in 1981.

Martial law has not been applied since South Korea became a parliamentary democracy in 1987.

Yoon pulled the trigger on Tuesday, saying he was trying to save the country from “anti-state forces”.

However, some analysts have described the move as his attempt to stifle political opposition.

Yoon has been a poor president since the opposition won a landslide victory in this year’s general election in April – his government has been unable to pass the laws it wanted and replaced that has moved to veto bills that the opposition has proposed.

The president’s approval rating hit a record low of 17% this year, the same he and his wife Kim Keon-hee did. entangled in a series of scandals.

Additional reporting by Woongbee Lee in Seoul and Frances Mao and Mallory Moench in London