More ruling party lawmakers are signalling their intent to break away from the group boycott and vote on the upcoming impeachment motion. PHOTO: REUTERS
SEOUL - The ruling People Power Party may shift its stance on its group boycott and allow a free vote, as some young conservative politicians signal their intent to participate in the second impeachment vote against President Yoon Suk Yeol on Dec 14.
After the previous scrapped impeachment vote on Dec 7, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea’s leader Representative Lee Jae-myung announced the following day that he would continue to hold Mr Yoon accountable for insurrection following his martial law decree.
The first and previous impeachment motion failed to meet the quorum of 200 votes in the 300-member Assembly, but the upcoming impeachment bill is expected to meet a different scenario, with more ruling party lawmakers deciding to break away from the group boycott.
Representative Kim Sang-wook of the ruling party announced on Dec 10 that he would no longer boycott the vote of Mr Yoon’s impeachment in a press conference at the National Assembly.
Insisting Mr Yoon’s martial law declaration was unconstitutional and in opposition to democracy, the 44-year-old lawmaker said such actions cannot be justified or defended.
“It is a crime against the nation that needs to be punished and be avoided from repeating,” Mr Kim said in his official statement.
Mr Kim urged the president’s sincere apology and immediate resignation or impeachment.
“I am requesting the ruling party to acknowledge our fault and cooperate with the opposition party-led impeachment motion,” Mr Kim said. “With my deepest apologies, I will vote in favor of Yoon’s impeachment.”
Representative Bae Hyun-jin of the People Power Party shared her decision to cast a vote in the second impeachment attempt on Dec 14 in a social media post, without revealing whether the vote would be in favour or against the impeachment bill, on Dec 10.
Representative Cho Kyung-tae, a six-term lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party, told reporters that he personally believes all ruling party members need to cast their ballot and the decision must be left to a “free vote”.
When asked whether his vote would be for or against the impeachment motion, Mr Cho said the decision would be made at the National Assembly, according to local news.
An impeachment vote requires the assent of at least 200 out of the 300 members of the Assembly to pass and be forwarded to the Constitutional Court, which has the authority to finalise the proposal.
With opposition parties, led by the Democratic Party, holding a total of 192 seats in the Assembly, at least eight ruling party lawmakers would need to vote in favor of the impeachment bill.
Only three legislators - Representative Kim Sang-wook, Representative Ahn Cheol-soo and Representative Kim Yea-ji - from the ruling party cast their votes on Dec 7. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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South Korea
Politics and government
Yoon Suk Yeol