(BBC News) South Korea’s opposition lawmakers have begun impeachment proceedings against President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed attempt to impose martial law.
The country woke up to an uncertain reality on Wednesday after a night of unprecedented scenes which saw Yoon impose martial law, 190 lawmakers gather to vote it down, and a reversal of the decision around six hours later.
After introducing the impeachment motion, South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party condemned Yoon’s initial martial law declaration as “insurrectionary behaviour”.
Parliament will have to vote on whether to impeach Yoon by Saturday.
“We can no longer allow democracy to collapse. The lives and safety of the people must be protected,” said Kim Yong-jin, a member of the Democratic party’s central committee.
The Party also said it wants to charge Yoon with “crimes of rebellion”.
It named Minister Kim Yong-hyun and Interior Minister Lee Sang-min as “key participants” of the martial law declaration, saying it wanted them charged alongside Yoon.
But South Korea’s ruling People Power Party, of which Yoon is a member, has agreed to oppose his impeachment, according to the country’s Yonhap news agency.
The opposition needs at least eight of 108 ruling party lawmakers to back the bill in order for it to pass.
None of the ruling party lawmakers waa present for the introduction of the motion at the National Assembly in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Schools, banks and government offices in Seoul were operating as usual on Wednesday, but protests continued throughout the city demanding the president resign.
“Arrest Yoon Suk Yeol,” some angry citizens chanted as they filled the streets.
South Korea’s largest labour group, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, vowed to go on indefinite strike until the president steps down.