South Korea’s major political parties have held emergency meetings as there are reports that members of parliament may vote to censure President Yoon Suk Yeol’s temporary declaration of martial law on Tuesday night.
The main opposition party, the Democratic Party, says that the vote could be held soon and can confirm that it has the numbers to pass the proposal, which was scheduled for Saturday.
In the first clear sign that his party may vote with the opposition, the leader of Yoon’s ruling party called for his immediate suspension on Friday, saying he posed a “grave risk” if he continued in power.
The opposition parties have 192 seats and will need at least eight MPs from the ruling party to support the impeachment motion to get the 200 votes needed to win.
This comment is the result of a reversal of the PPP’s previous decision to block the opposition’s motion for a hearing.
Han Doong-hoon, head of the People Power Party (PPP), also said there was “substantial evidence” that Yoon had ordered the arrest of prominent politicians on “anti-state charges” on Tuesday.
Earlier, the supporters of the opposition parties had gathered on the steps of the parliament, armed with placards and singing demanding that the president be removed from office.
Yoon shocked the country on Tuesday night when he declared emergency martial law, citing threats from “anti-government forces” and North Korea.
But it soon became clear that his move was motivated not by external threats but by his domestic political problems.
The order was abruptly lifted hours later after 190 MPs managed to enter parliament and vote down – some climbing fences and breaking barriers to enter the chamber.
On Friday, Han expressed concern that “extreme actions”, such as the declaration of martial law, could be repeated if Yoon continues in office.
“[These are] putting the Republic of Korea and its people at great risk,” he said.
He also added that his party had learned of plans to detain opposition politicians who were detained at a facility in Gwacheon, a city south of Seoul.
His comments are the first clear sign that the president’s own party may be voting with the opposition to help him win.
Opposition lawyers are worried that there will be another attempt to impose martial law. Some of them have previously told the BBC that they have been staying close to the floor of the National Assembly to get there quickly to vote down any such announcement.
Meanwhile, ruling party MP Cho Kyung-tae became the first ruling party MP to publicly express support for Yoon’s prosecution.
“Choosing between standing on the side of the people by suspending the president’s job or being an alliance with the military imposing martial law is a matter for politicians to judge,” Cho said on Friday.
“I hope that all the People’s Power politicians will stand on the side of the people,” he added.
The capital, Seoul, has seen more than two days of street protests calling for Yoon to step down, with police saying he is being investigated for “sedition”.
People also flooded PPP lawmakers with messages, urging them to vote for Yoon’s trial, according to South Korean media reports.
One member of parliament, Shin Sung-bum, received more than 4,000 such messages on Facebook, Chosun Daily reported.
More than seven out of ten South Koreans agree with the trial, said a poll conducted by local researcher Realmeter on Thursday.
Prior to his efforts to put the country under military rule, Yoon had been plagued by low popularity, allegations of corruption and an opposition-led legislature that made him a crippled leader.
Additional reports by Hosu Lee in Seoul and Fan Wang in Singapore
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