S Korea parliament begins vote on president's impeachment over martial law

SEOUL: Members of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's party abruptly walked out of parliament just before a crucial impeachment vote on Saturday, following his attempt to impose martial law earlier this week.

The motion was brought forth by the opposition Democratic Party and as the debate unfolded among lawmakers, only one member of Yoon's People Power Party (PPP) remained in the chamber.

This has sparked concerns about whether the opposition could secure the necessary two-thirds majority for the motion to pass. The opposition requires a minimum of eight voted from the PPP to succeed.

Tensions escalated as PPP lawmakers departed after casting votes on a separate motion to appoint a special prosecutor in investigate the allegations against the first lady, prompting shouts and curses from onlookers.

Opposition leaders have said if the impeachment motion fails they plan to revisit it again on Wednesday.

Yoon earlier in the day apologised for his attempt to impose martial law this week but did not resign, defying intense pressure to step down even from some in his ruling party.

Yoon said he would not seek to avoid legal and political responsibility for his decision to declare martial law for the first time in South Korea since 1980. He said the decision was born of desperation.

The speech was the embattled leader's first public appearance since he rescinded the martial law order early on Wednesday, just six hours after it was declared and after parliament defied military and police cordons to vote against the decree.

The move plunged Asia's fourth-largest economy and key United States military ally into its greatest political crisis in decades, and threatened to shatter South Korea's reputation as a democratic success story.

"I am very sorry and would like to sincerely apologise to the people who were shocked," said Yoon in a televised address to the nation, promising there would be no second attempt to impose martial law.

"I leave it up to my party to take steps to stabilise the political situation in the future, including the issue of my term in office," he said.

Standing in front of the South Korean flag, Yoon bowed after he finished his brief remarks, staring solemnly into the camera for a moment.

Han Dong-hoon, leader of Yoon's ruling party, said after the address that the president was no longer in a position to carry out his public duties and his resignation was now unavoidable.

On Friday Han said Yoon was a danger to the country and needed to be removed from power, increasing the pressure on Yoon to quit even though PPP members later reaffirmed a formal opposition to his impeachment.

Han met Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Saturday, local Yonhap News reported. Under the constitution if Yoon resigns or is impeached then the prime minister, who was appointed by Yoon, becomes South Korea's acting president.

If Yoon leaves office before his single five-year term ends in May 2027, the constitution requires a presidential election to be held within 60 days upon his departure.

To impeach Yoon, 200 of the assembly's 300 lawmakers must vote in favour. With opposition parties controlling 192 seats, eight ruling party members would need to join the opposition to carry the vote.

If Yoon is impeached, a trial by the Constitutional Court would follow. The court can confirm an impeachment motion with a vote by six of the nine justices. The court currently only has six sitting judges, and it is unclear whether it would take on the case without at least seven.

In 2017, the court took three months to remove then-President Park Geun-hye from office.

Prosecutors, the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials have all launched probes into Yoon and senior officials involved in the martial law decree, seeking to pursue charges of insurrection and abuse of power, among others.

The officials face potential charges of insurrection, abuse of authority and obstructing other people from exercising their rights. If convicted, the crime of leading an insurrection is punishable by death or life imprisonment, with or without prison labour.