South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol has apologised to the nation ahead of a planned impeachment vote and vowed to face all legal consequences after attempting to impose martial law earlier this week.
In a televised address, the South Korean president bowed to the nation and stated he was “very sorry” just hours before lawmakers vote on his impeachment over the martial law attempt.
Yoon has pledged to face all legal consequences stating he would not seek to avoid responsibility for his decision which he says was born of desperation.
In an effort to reassure a nation scarred by decades of brutal martial law and military dictatorship, Yoon asserted there will be no further martial law orders.
He’s also announced that he’s instructed his People’s Power Party (PPP) to take all steps and decisions necessary to stabilise the political situation. Their power also includes deciding on his term in office.
Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment vote is set to take place around 17:00 local time (09:00 CET).
The opposition currently holds 192 seats in the 300-strong National Assembly and are just 8 seats shorts of the two-thirds majority required to pass motions.
The likelihood of Yoon’s impeachment significantly increased after members of his own party criticised him after his abortive martial law attempt on Tuesday, with some even calling him a ‘great danger’ to citizens.
Yoon briefly imposed a martial law order on South Korea this week, citing the need to “eliminate anti-state forces.” As he announced martial law, he accused the country’s opposition, the liberal Democratic Party, of sympathising with North Korea.
He reversed course only six hours later after 190 lawmakers forcibly entered the shuttered parliament to vote down the decree.
Opposition parties have called Yoon’s martial law order “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup,” and have demanded Yoon be removed from power.
