National Assembly set to vote on new impeachment motion against Yoon

Demonstrators take part in a sit-in protest calling for the ouster of President Yoon Suk Yeol, on the grounds of the National Assembly in Seoul, Dec. 9. AFP-Yonhap

The opposition-controlled National Assembly is poised to vote Saturday on a second impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched declaration of martial law.

The first motion to impeach Yoon was scrapped last Saturday, with nearly all lawmakers from Yoon's ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotting the vote.

A two-thirds majority is required to pass the motion, which would need support from at least eight PPP lawmakers.

As of Friday, seven PPP lawmakers have publicly expressed their support for Yoon's impeachment.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and five other minor opposition parties submitted the motion Thursday and reported it to the National Assembly the following day, arguing Yoon's martial law declaration violated the Constitution and other laws.

Allegations that martial law troops and police attempted to arrest lawmakers under the leadership of the president were newly added to the motion.

If the motion is passed, the Constitutional Court will decide whether to reinstate or remove Yoon from office.

If upheld by the court, Yoon would be the second president to be successfully impeached since former President Park Geun-hye in 2017. (Yonhap)