A South Korea flag flutters in the wind as a general view shows people taking part in a protest calling for the ouster of South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol outside the National Assembly in Seoul on December 7, 2024. Yoon escaped impeachment on December 7 over his brief declaration of martial law, after lawmakers from his ruling party boycotted a vote despite huge protests outside parliament. The outcome disappointed the huge crowds — numbering 150,000 according to police, one million according to organizers — demonstrating outside parliament for Yoon’s ouster. (Photo by YONHAP / AFP)
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s former defense minister was arrested Sunday, local media reported, a day after President Yoon Suk Yeol survived an impeachment vote over his calamitous attempt to impose martial law.
The motion failed due to a boycott of the vote by Yoon’s party, even though huge crowds braved freezing temperatures in another night of protests outside parliament in Seoul to demand the president’s ouster.
Article continues after this advertisementKim Yong-hyun had already resigned as defense minister after the brief suspension of civilian rule late on Tuesday by Yoon that saw soldiers and helicopters sent to parliament.
FEATURED STORIES GLOBALNATION US announces nearly $1-B in new military aid for Ukraine GLOBALNATION South Korea president apologizes but doesn't resign over martial law fiasco GLOBALNATION Trump meets 'good man' Prince William at Notre-Dame reopeningYoon was forced to rescind the order hours later and parliament voted down his decree.
Kim had already been slapped with a travel ban.
Article continues after this advertisementPolice have launched an investigation into Yoon, Kim, and others for alleged insurrection.
Article continues after this advertisementThe prosecutors’ office was not immediately available for comment on Kim’s arrest, reported by the Yonhap news agency and other local media outlets Sunday morning.
Article continues after this advertisement BoycottOpposition parties proposed the impeachment motion, which needed 200 votes in the 300-member parliament to pass, but a near-total boycott by Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) doomed it to failure.
The PPP said after the vote that it had blocked the impeachment to avoid “severe division and chaos,” adding that it would “resolve this crisis in a more orderly and responsible manner.”
Article continues after this advertisementParty leader Han Dong-hoon said that the party had “effectively obtained” Yoon’s promise to step down, and said until this happened he would “be effectively excluded from his duties,” leaving the prime minister and party to manage state affairs.
The failure of the impeachment motion came as a huge blow to the massive crowds — numbering 150,000 according to police, one million according to organizers — demonstrating outside parliament.
National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik called the PPP’s walkout “a failure to engage in the democratic process” on the part of the ruling party.
“Even though we didn’t get the outcome we wanted today, I am neither discouraged nor disappointed because we will get it eventually,” protester Jo Ah-gyeong, 30, said Saturday.
“I’ll keep coming here until we get it,” she told AFP.
‘Politically dead’The opposition has already vowed to try to impeach Yoon again as soon as Wednesday, and many protesters vowed to continue demonstrations next weekend.
“I will impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who has become the worst risk for South Korea, at any cost,” opposition leader Lee Jae-myung said.
Before the vote, Yoon, 63, had apologized for the turmoil but said he would leave it to his party to decide his fate.
“I caused anxiety and inconvenience to the public. I sincerely apologize,” he said in the televised address, his first public appearance in three days.
He said he would “entrust the party with measures to stabilize the political situation, including my term in office.”
The backing of PPP lawmakers came despite party head Han — who was allegedly on an arrest list on Tuesday night — saying Yoon must go.
Only three PPP lawmakers — Ahn Cheol-soo, Kim Yea-ji and Kim Sang-wook — voted in the end.
The failure of the impeachment motion “means a more protracted political crisis,” Vladimir Tikhonov, professor of Korean Studies at the University of Oslo, told AFP.
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“We will have a politically dead president — basically unable to govern any longer — and hundreds of thousands coming to the streets every week until Yoon is removedwinph,” he said.
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