Demand for President’s resignation increased after attempt of martial law

The unsuccessful attempt by President Yoon Suk Yeol to establish martial rule left South Korea reeling after a spectacular night of political unrest. According to CNN, the action has put Yoon’s presidency in grave danger, igniting enormous indignation and escalating demands for his impeachment.

The opposition in the nation have declared their intention to accuse the troubled leader of treason.

Accusing the opposition of planning a “insurgency” and “trying to overthrow the free democracy” in the nation, Yoon abruptly imposed martial rule on December 3 and eventually lifted it, according to the New York Times. Opposition parties, civil society organizations, and even some members of Yoon’s own party fiercely opposed the decision, nevertheless.

Notably, President Yoon Suk Yeol’s initiatives may be blocked by the main opposition in South Korea, which has a majority in the parliament. According to CNN, the opposition is also attempting to remove senior prosecutors for allegedly not charging Yoon’s wife with a number of suspected crimes.

However, Yoon has said that parliament has manipulated legislative procedures and paralyzed government operations, paving the way for a political confrontation.

Yoon Suk Yeol, the president’s People Power Party member and former legislator, has lost all credibility and “won’t be able to rule,” according to the former lawmaker.

“As of today,” Jaeyoung Lee said, “the president lost all his credibility.” “He just won’t be able to rule – period – in my opinion.”

He went on to say that “it’s devastating to see this happening in Korea in the year 2024” and that “legislators from the party were working on plans to ask Yoon to resign from the party.”

In an unexpected late-night televised speech on Tuesday, the president announced the order and accused the opposition of “anti-state” actions and North Korean sympathies. He explicitly mentions their attempts to remove prosecutors from office.

According to the New York Times, President Yoon criticized the opposition in a nationally broadcast address for impeaching cabinet officials and preventing his government’s budget plans from passing by leveraging its majority in the National Assembly.

This has “paralyzed the administration,” he said.
“The National Assembly, which should have been the foundation of free democracy, has become a monster that destroys it,” Yoon said, according to the New York Times.

The opposition then demands that Yoon quit immediately and threatens to start the impeachment process if he doesn’t. Yoon is also being criticized by his own party chairman, who has apologized to the people and asked the president to provide an explanation.