- Title: TIMELINE: From decree to defeat - South Korea's failed martial law attempt
- Date: 4th December 2024
- Summary: Protesters from South Korea's biggest labour union group gathered in Seoul on December 4, after Yoon said he would lift a surprise martial law declaration he had imposed just hours before. The protesters were from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, which has also declared an indefinite strike until Yoon resigns. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (RECENT - DECEMBER 4, 2024) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS FROM LABOUR UNION GROUP, KOREAN CONFEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS, CHANTING PLACARD READING (Korean): "ARREST CIVIL WAR CRIMINAL YOON SUK YEOL!" Lawmakers from South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party called on December 4 for president Yoon Suk Yeol, who has been in office since 2022, to resign or face impeachment over the martial law declaration, the first in South Korea since 1980. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (RECENT - DECEMBER 4, 2024) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) FLOOR LEADER OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF KOREA, PARK CHAN-DAE, SAYING: “Even if martial law is lifted, he cannot avoid treason charges. It was clearly revealed to the entire nation that President Yoon could no longer run the country normally.” WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) FLOOR LEADER OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF KOREA, PARK CHAN-DAE, SAYING: “He should step down. Resign immediately. This is the mandate of the people." Leader of South Korea’s Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Jae-myung, said on December 4 that president Yoon Suk Yeol poses a high risk of provoking North Korea into military conflict and has a significant chance to declare martial law again. Hundreds of opposition lawmakers and party members gathered in front of the National Assembly on Wednesday to call for the resignation and impeachment of president Yoon. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (RECENT - DECEMBER 4, 2024) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF OPPOSITION LAWMAKERS AND PARTY MEMBERS HOLDING PLACARDS AND CHANTING SLOGANS PARTICIPANTS CHANTING SLOGANS AND HOLDING BANNER READING (Korean): “INVESTIGATE TREASON ACTS!” (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) LEADER OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF KOREA, LEE JAE-MYUNG, SAYING: "They will try it (martial law) again by addressing their shortcomings after they have failed once. When that time comes, we, the citizens, along with the Democratic Party of Korea and our lawmakers, will step forward and fight to ensure victory." PARTICIPANTS CHANTING
- Embargoed: 18th December 2024 18:38
- Keywords: march martial law opposition parliament protesters south korea troops unrest vigil yoon suk yeol
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA00F459104122024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS EDIT IS A TIMELINE AND DOES NOT CONTAIN FRESH MATERIAL
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed on Saturday (December 14) to fight for his political future after he was impeached in a second vote by the opposition-led parliament over his short-lived attempt to impose martial law, a move that had shocked the nation.
The Constitutional Court will decide whether to remove Yoon sometime in the next six months. If he is removed from office, a snap election will be called.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who was appointed by Yoon, became acting president, while Yoon remains in office but with his presidential powers suspended halfway through his five-year term.
Han promised his utmost efforts to ensure stability after Yoon's impeachment. "I will give all my strength and efforts to stabilize the government," Han told reporters.
Yoon is the second conservative president in a row to be impeached in South Korea. Park Geun-hye was removed from office in 2017. Yoon survived a first impeachment vote last weekend, when his party largely boycotted the vote, depriving parliament of a quorum.
"Although I am stopping for now, the journey I have walked with the people over the past two and a half years toward the future must never come to a halt. I will never give up," Yoon said.
Regarded as a tough political survivor but increasingly isolated, he has been dogged by personal scandals and strife, an unyielding opposition and rifts within his own party.
Protesters backing Yoon's impeachment leapt for joy near parliament at the news and waved colorful LED sticks as music pumped out. By contrast, a rally of Yoon supporters quickly emptied following the news.
Opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung told protesters near parliament that they should fight together so Yoon was removed as quickly as possible. "You, the people, made it. You are writing a new history," he told the jubilant crowds, who had braved subfreezing temperatures to attend the rally.
The impeachment motion was carried after at least 12 members of Yoon's People Power Party joined the opposition parties, which control 192 seats in the 300-member national assembly, clearing the two-thirds threshold needed for impeachment.
The number of lawmakers supporting impeachment was 204, with 85 against, three abstentions and eight invalid ballots.
Yoon shocked the nation late on Dec. 3 when he gave the military sweeping emergency powers to root out what he called "anti-state forces" and overcome obstructionist political opponents.
He rescinded the declaration barely six hours later, after parliament defied troops and police to vote against the decree. But it plunged the country into a constitutional crisis and triggered widespread calls for him to step down on the grounds that he had broken the law.
Yoon later apologized to the nation but defended his decision and resisted calls to resign.
Opposition parties launched the fresh impeachment vote, with large demonstrations supporting impeachment.
Yoon is also under criminal investigation for alleged insurrection over the martial law declaration and authorities have banned him from traveling overseas.
In another defiant speech on Thursday, Yoon vowed to "fight to the end," defending his martial law decree as necessary to overcome political deadlock and protect the country from domestic politicians who he said were undermining democracy.
(Production: Daniel Lim, Liliana Ciobanu, Vitalii Yalahuzian)
REUTERS / SOUTH KOREA'S PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE HANDOUT / YOUTUBE LEE JAE-MYUNG TV / YONHAP NEWS TELEVISION / VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS / SOUTH KOREA’S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SECRETARIAT HANDOUT / JTBC / NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TELEVISION / KOREA POOL / KOREAN CONFEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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