‘Alleviate people’s suffering’: S. Korean opposition leader urges swift removal of impeached president
South Korea’s opposition leader has urged the Constitutional Court to rule “swiftly” on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s removal from office, a day after parliament impeached him over a short-lived attempt to impose martial law.
A swift ruling is “the only way to minimize national turmoil and alleviate the suffering of the people," Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party, said on Sunday.
On Saturday, 300 lawmakers cast a vote for the second time for the president’s impeachment. During the first vote for impeachment, the president’s party—the People’s Power Party (PPP)—did not vote, claiming they wished for Yoon’s peaceful resignation.
Yoon, however, did not resign from his office, but doubled down on his position. As such, the leader of the PPP joined the opposition to force Yoon out of office. The second vote passed with 204 for, 85 against, 3 abstentions, and 8 invalids.
Yoon’s presidential powers have been suspended until the court decides on his impeachment. The court has 180 days to decide whether to uphold the impeachment or reject it. In the meantime, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will act as interim president.
Meanwhile, Lee proposed the creation of a council in which the government and the National Assembly (South Korea’s Parliament) can cooperate in order to stabilize national affairs.
He said bipartisanship is essential to the future of South Korea and the only way out of the current political turmoil.
President Yoon’s December 3 imposition of martial law was the first of its kind in more than four decades. Yoon gave the military extraordinary powers in order to end the political deadlock within the capital, and stop what he dubbed “anti-state forces”.
The martial law lasted only six hours, but completely shocked the country’s lawmakers and military leaders, and fully disrupted the country’s national and international affairs.
South Korean MPs vote to impeach president over martial law
South Korean protesters rally outside parliament ahead of Yoon impeachment vote
South Korea crisis: President Yoon banned from foreign travel
Dec. 17: ‘Axis of Resistance’ operations against Israeli occupation
VIDEO | Russian general killed in Moscow bombing
Iran warns E3 against misusing JCPOA snapback mechanism
Gharibabadi: Iran’s enrichment program has no military objectives
FM: Protecting political borders of regional countries Iran’s red line
Iran: Terrorism threatens peace, security and human rights
VIDEO | Resistance Axis unstoppable
Iran manufacturing its own version of Boeing, Airbus engine parts: Official
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
