Ruling Party Chief Warns of ‘Great Danger’ if South Korea’s Yoon Stays in Power
The leader of South Korea’s ruling People Power Party (PPP), Han Doong-hoon, has made an unprecedented call for President Yoon Suk Yeol to step aside, warning that his continued leadership could put the nation at “great risk.”
Speaking at an emergency party meeting on Friday, Han revealed that his party had obtained “credible evidence” suggesting Yoon ordered the arrest of political opponents on “anti-state” charges after imposing martial law earlier this week. This stark departure from Han’s earlier position of opposing the president’s impeachment signals a growing rift within the ruling party.
Martial Law Sparks Outrage
On Tuesday night, Yoon shocked the nation by declaring martial law, citing threats from North Korea and internal “anti-state forces.” However, it soon emerged that the move was motivated by domestic political challenges rather than external security threats.
The declaration, which paralyzed the country for hours, was overturned after 190 lawmakers, including some who scaled fences and broke through barriers, managed to convene in parliament to vote it down.
Han expressed grave concerns over the possibility of Yoon repeating such “extreme actions.” “These actions are putting the Republic of Korea and its citizens in jeopardy,” he said, adding that his party had learned of plans to detain arrested opposition politicians in a facility south of Seoul.
Impeachment Gains Momentum
The president now faces growing calls for impeachment, with members of his own party joining opposition efforts. Opposition lawmakers, who control 192 of the National Assembly’s 300 seats, require support from at least eight ruling party MPs to secure the 200 votes needed to remove Yoon from office.
Ruling party MP Cho Kyung-tae became the first from his faction to publicly endorse impeachment, urging his colleagues to “stand on the side of the people.”
“The choice is clear: either support suspending the president’s duties to protect the country or align with forces that attempted to impose martial law,” Cho said.
Public Outrage and Protests
Seoul has been gripped by protests for over two days, with tens of thousands demanding Yoon’s resignation. Social media and messaging platforms have been flooded with appeals to PPP lawmakers, urging them to back impeachment. One MP reportedly received over 4,000 messages on Facebook alone.
According to a recent poll by Realmeter, more than 70% of South Koreans favor impeaching Yoon, whose presidency has been marred by corruption allegations, dismal approval ratings, and a legislature controlled by the opposition.
The dramatic political turmoil marks a turning point for Yoon’s presidency. With mounting pressure from both the public and his own party, his future as South Korea’s leader hangs in the balance.
