Bid to impeach S Korean president thwarted by lack of quorum

A move to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been thwarted due to a lack of quorum in the country’s National Assembly.

According to the New York Times, this is after Yoon’s People Power Party ordered its MPs to leave the assembly hall before the impeachment vote started.

“The tactic has been used by political parties to prevent lawmakers from voting against the party line during anonymous balloting,” the report noted.

Yoon’s party reportedly said before the session that they would oppose the impeachment bid.

Opposition parties held a simple majority in Korea’s National Assembly, but still needed at least eight defections from Yoon’s party to achieve the two-thirds majority needed for the impeachment vote to be valid.

The report said opposition parties attempted to stall for time by stretching out the voting process and appealed for People Power Party MPs to return to cast their ballots, but ultimately gave up at around 9.20pm.

Only three out of 108 government MPs had cast their ballots, along with all 192 opposition MPs.

“The South Korean people were watching our decision today. Nations around the world were watching us.

“It is utterly unfortunate that the vote effectively didn’t occur,” National Assembly speaker Woo Won Shik was quoted as saying.

Troops deployed

The opposition had moved to impeach Yoon after he declared martial law on Wednesday and deployed troops to shut down the National Assembly, after accusing the opposition of paralysing the government with “anti-state activities plotting rebellion”.

However, the order was lifted just six hours later after troops failed to enter the assembly and its MPs voted down Yoon’s emergency declaration.

Among those calling for Yoon’s resignation following the fiasco was the leader of Yoon’s party, Han Dong Hoon.

Earlier today, before proceedings began, Yoon had made a televised address to the nation where he bowed in apology for declaring martial law and said he had acted in desperation.

He said he would leave the decision regarding his term in the presidential office to his party.

S Korea opposition will vote to impeach President Yoon

M'sians in S Korea advised to take safety precautions, register via e-Konsular

S Korea's Yoon lifts martial law after lawmakers demand end

South Korea's Yoon declares martial law