Current:Home > ScamsSouth Korean president's party divided over defiant martial law speech -GrowthInsight
South Korean president's party divided over defiant martial law speech
View
Date:2025-04-13 00:12:32
SEOUL, Dec 12 - South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's switch from contrition to defiance on Thursday (Dec 11) over his martial law order rallied some supporters but other members of his party said it did nothing to sway their view that he must be removed from office.
In a speech before a second impeachment vote scheduled for Saturday, Yoon condemned his political opponents as "anti-state forces" that side with enemies in North Korea, said Pyongyang may have hacked the South's elections and defended last week's short-lived martial law order as a legal move to protect democracy.
The remarks hit many of the talking points featuring on conservative YouTube channels and marked a sharp change of tone from a speech before the first impeachment vote last week in which he apologised and said he would place his political future in the hands of his People Power Party.
It was unclear what caused the change but Yoon gave no sign of supporting a proposal by PPP leader Han Dong-hoon for him to resign in coming months and to hand authority to the prime minister and ruling party until then.
The speech brought to the fore divisions in the PPP. Changing tack, Han urged party members to vote for impeachment on Saturday, a move greeted by shouting from pro-Yoon lawmakers, who voted in Kweon Seong-dong as their new party floor leader shortly after Yoon's speech.
[[nid:712402]]
Kweon, a Yoon supporter, said the party's position was still to oppose the president's impeachment but that a meeting would be held before Saturday's vote to finalise plans.
The party boycotted the last vote, preventing a quorum. At least 200 votes are needed to impeach Yoon. Opposition parties have 192 seats, so they need at least eight PPP members to join.
As of Thursday, at least seven members of the party were expected to support a new impeachment motion.
One PPP lawmaker who said he would now vote to impeach Yoon said the president's new remarks may have rallied some loyalists but sowed more confusion and division among conservatives.
[[nid:712337]]
"His speech had an impact on the election of the floor leader. Also, it sounds like he urged those who blindly follow the president among conservatives to take action," PPP lawmaker Kim Sang-wook told reporters.
Kim said he felt frustrated and betrayed because the speech dashed his last hopes that Yoon would leave office in a "decent" way.
Public support for impeachment
Opinion polls show a majority of South Koreans support impeaching Yoon. A survey released by pollster Realmeter on Dec. 5 found 73.6 per cent of respondents supported impeachment, including 50.4 per cent of those who identified themselves as conservatives.
Yoon's speech lit up conservative political forums online, with the top-ranked posts titled "Martial law was the most reasonable decision", and "Han made a wrong decision".
After Yoon's speech, scuffles could be seen breaking out between attendees of a pro-conservative rally in central Seoul and an opposition supporter who removed a banner of support for Yoon's martial law declaration.
Kim Tae-hyun, who attended the rally, said he thought Yoon did a "good job" with his speech and had the right to declare martial law.
"And the impeachment just shouldn't happen... So (the martial law declaration) was merely an expression of the authority of the president," said Kim. "The Democratic Party, which is currently holding the country back, is the real issue."
[[nid:712404]]
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
veryGood! (8499)
Related
- McKinsey to pay $650 million after advising opioid maker on how to 'turbocharge' sales
- Biden says he was ‘stupid’ not to put his name on pandemic relief checks like Trump did
- Fatal Hougang stabbing: Victim was mum of 3, moved to Singapore to provide for family
- Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge
- Megan Fox's ex Brian Austin Green tells Machine Gun Kelly to 'grow up'
- What is Sora? Account creation paused after high demand of AI video generator
- Not sure what to write in your holiday card? These tips can help: Video tutorial
- Trump says Kari Lake will lead Voice of America. He attacked it during his first term
- Woman dies after Singapore family of 3 gets into accident in Taiwan
- When fire threatened a California university, the school says it knew what to do
Ranking
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Horoscopes Today, December 11, 2024
- San Diego raises bar to work with immigration officials ahead of Trump’s deportation efforts
- 'The Later Daters': Cast, how to stream new Michelle Obama
- NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
- Joe Burrow’s home broken into during Monday Night Football in latest pro
- Arizona city sues federal government over PFAS contamination at Air Force base
- Small plane crashes onto New York highway, killing 1 person and injuring another
Recommendation
The Daily Money: Spending more on holiday travel?
This drug is the 'breakthrough of the year' — and it could mean the end of the HIV epidemic
'We are all angry': Syrian doctor describes bodies from prisons showing torture
Snoop Dogg Details "Kyrptonite" Bond With Daughter Cori Following Her Stroke at 24
What to watch: O Jolie night
New York Climate Activists Urge Gov. Hochul to Sign ‘Superfund’ Bill
Deadly chocolate factory caused by faulty gas fitting, safety board finds
Orcas are hunting whale sharks. Is there anything they can't take down?