South Korea’s ruling party MPs exit parliament before impeachment vote

Nearly all the members of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s party have left parliament ahead of a planned impeachment vote over his attempt to impose martial law.

As politicians debated the motion on Saturday, only a single member of Mr Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) — Ahn Cheol-soo — remained in his seat.

The opposition Democratic Party, which filed the motion, needs at least eight votes from the PPP to pass it.

As PPP politicians departed after casting votes on a separate motion, some people shouted and cursed at them.

The remaining politicians have now started casting secret ballots on the impeachment motion.

It’s unclear whether enough ruling party MPs who walked out will return to pass the measure.

Opposition leaders have said if the impeachment motion fails, they plan to revisit it again on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Mr Yoon apologised for his attempt to impose martial law this week but did not resign, defying intense pressure to step down even from some in his ruling party.

The president said he would not seek to avoid legal and political responsibility for his decision to declare martial law for the first time in South Korea since 1980. He said the decision was born of desperation.

The speech was the embattled leader’s first public appearance since he rescinded the martial law order early on Wednesday, just six hours after it was declared. 

The reversal came after parliament defied military and police cordons to vote against the decree.

Meanwhile, nearly 150,000 people attended a rally outside parliament on Saturday, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. 

They protested President Yoon’s actions and called for his impeachment.

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Reuters