On Sunday, the opposition leader in South Korea asked the Constitutional Court to quickly decide on whether to remove President Yoon Suk Yeol from office. This request came after parliament voted to impeach him because he tried to impose martial law for just a few hours.
While the court is deciding, Yoon’s powers are suspended, which means he can’t make decisions for the country. The court has 180 days to make its ruling, and if they remove Yoon, a new election for his replacement must happen within 60 days.
The Prime Minister, Han Duck-soo, is now running things while Yoon is suspended. Han was chosen by Yoon, but the current government has found it hard to pass laws because the opposition party controls parliament.
Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party, spoke to the media on Sunday. He said a quick court ruling is essential to avoid further problems for the country. Lee suggested creating a national council where the government and parliament can talk and work together to solve issues. He emphasized that cooperation between political parties is important to overcome the standstill caused by Yoon’s decision.
Lee also mentioned that the Democratic Party won’t try to impeach Han for not stopping Yoon’s short-lived martial law, saying it could create more confusion. He stressed the importance of working with all parties to stabilize the country and regain international trust.
Yoon’s attempt at martial law on December 3 was the first in over forty years. It lasted only six hours but created a political crisis and scared financial markets. Parliament quickly voted to cancel the martial law when Yoon sent troops and police to the building to try to stop them, but no major violence happened.
Opposition leaders accuse Yoon of trying to rebel against parliament, arguing that the president can only declare martial law during wars or serious emergencies, and even then, he cannot stop parliament’s work. Yoon defends his actions, claiming he was trying to warn the Democratic Party, which he calls anti-government because it has often challenged his authority and delayed important budget plans.
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