By Miracle Ogunde
A week after a failed attempt to impeach him over the martial law controversy, South Korean lawmakers are set to vote on Saturday on whether to remove President Yoon Suk Yeol.
According to an AFP report, protests calling for Yoon’s resignation began around midday outside the National Assembly, which is scheduled to vote at 4:00 pm (0700 GMT) on an impeachment resolution accusing him of “insurrectionary acts” — a week after the initial attempt to remove him over the martial law issue was thwarted.
“I was too furious since last week so I had to come to (the National Assembly) today,” said Yoo Hee-jin, 24.
“If Yoon isn’t impeached today, I’ll return next week,” she said, adding, “I’ll keep coming every week until it happens.”
However, Yoon has vowed to resist “until the very last minute” and has reiterated unfounded claims that the opposition is collaborating with the country’s communist adversaries.
A total of 200 votes are required for the impeachment to succeed, meaning opposition lawmakers must persuade eight parliamentarians from Yoon’s conservative People Power Party (PPP) to switch sides. Seven have already pledged to do so.
Local media reports indicate that many lawmakers are still undecided.
The main opposition Democratic Party stated on Saturday that voting for impeachment was the “only way” to “safeguard the Constitution, the rule of law, democracy, and South Korea’s future.”
“We can no longer endure Yoon’s madness,” said spokeswoman Hwang Jung-a.
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