South Korea's Political Shake-Up: A Conservative Turns Against President Yoon

The political scene in South Korea is heating up. The leader of the ruling People Power Party, Han Dong-hoon, has shockingly turned against President Yoon Suk Yeol. Han wants to suspend Yoon's duties due to his attempt to use intelligence agencies to arrest lawmakers. This move greatly increases the chances of Yoon's impeachment. Yoon declared martial law last Tuesday, claiming it was necessary to "crush anti-state forces. " However, lawmakers quickly overturned this decision. The opposition, which has a majority in the National Assembly, plans to vote on Yoon's impeachment late Saturday. Rumors of a second martial law attempt have been circulating, but the military denies these claims. Kwak Jong-geun, the head of South Korea’s special warfare command, said he would not enforce a second martial law decree if ordered. He also refused to clear lawmakers from the National Assembly during the first martial law, viewing it as illegal.

Tensions are high at the legislature. Opposition lawmakers gathered to warn Yoon not to visit. Earlier, Yoon's office was investigated for treason charges related to Tuesday's events. Han, once a close ally of Yoon, has played a crucial role. After initially opposing martial law, he rallied support for Yoon but changed his stance again after obtaining "credible evidence" of Yoon's intentions to arrest senior lawmakers. For impeachment to succeed, at least eight members of the PPP must support it. Only two have publicly said they will, but Han's reversal makes impeachment more likely. If impeached, Yoon would be suspended while the Constitutional Court decides his fate, a process that could take weeks or months.

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