Impeachment

S Korean investigators seek to question reluctant prez over martial law

South Korean investigators on Friday again sought to question impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his December 3 declaration of martial law, summoning him for questioning on Christmas Day despite his repeated refusal to cooperate. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military authorities into the ill-conceived power grab that lasted only a few hours, said it plans to question Yoon on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion. Yoon, whose presidential powers have been suspended since the opposition-controlled National Assembly impeached him on December 14, has dodged several requests by the joint investigation team and public prosecutors while also blocking searches of his office. It's not clear what investigators can do if Yoon continues to reject their demands. Under the country's laws, locations potentially linked to military secrets cannot be seized or searched without the conse

South Korea's Yoon willing to represent himself in legal proceedings

Yoon, who is an ex-prosecutor, shocked the nation on Dec. 3 when he declared martial law in a late night televised address

South Korea's 'hurry hurry' culture ends Prez Yoon's 'controversial' tenure

Within hours of Yoon's late night announcement on Dec. 3, protesters massed on Seoul's streets and lawmakers were so frantic to block the decree that they climbed over the fence of the legislature

Battle erupts over South Korean court that will determine fate of Yoon

South Korea's acting leader vowed Tuesday to convey to the world that things are back to normal following parliament's impeachment of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, as rival parties squabble over the appointments of justices who will determine whether to unseat or reinstate him. The country's liberal opposition-controlled parliament voted to impeach Yoon last Saturday over his short-lived December 3 martial law imposition, suspending Yoon's presidential powers until the Constitutional Court determines whether he can continue in office. If Yoon is dismissed, a national election must be held within two months. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who became acting leader, has taken steps to reassure the US and others and stabilise markets. Presiding over a Cabinet Council meeting on Tuesday, Han said he will continuously do my utmost to inform the international society that the Republic of Korea is fast regaining stability and maintaining confidence with partners. But the country's ..

South Korean court sees strife as it is to decide fate of impeached Prez

South Korea's acting leader vowed Tuesday to convey to the world that things are back to normal following parliament's impeachment of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, but rival parties began squabbling over the mechanics of a court ruling to determine whether to formally unseat or reinstate him. The country's liberal opposition-controlled parliament voted to impeach Yoon last Saturday over his short-lived December 3 martial law imposition, suspending his presidential powers until the Constitutional Court determines whether to uphold or overturn the decision. If Yoon is dismissed, a national election must be held to pick his successor within two months. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who became acting leader, has taken steps to reassure the US and other countries and stabilise markets. Presiding over a Cabinet Council meeting on Tuesday, Han said he will continuously do my utmost to inform the international society that Republic of Korea is fast regaining stability and maintain ...

South Korean investigators ask for impeached prez as matter lands in court

South Korean law enforcement authorities will request that impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol appear for questioning this week over his short-lived martial law decree as they expand a probe into whether his ill-conceived power grab amounted to rebellion. A joint investigative team involving police, an anti-corruption agency and the Defense Ministry plans to convey a request to Yoon's office that he appears for questioning on Wednesday, the police said Monday. Yoon was impeached by the opposition-controlled National Assembly on Saturday over his Dec. 3 martial law decree. His presidential powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to formally remove him from office or reinstate him. If Yoon is dismissed, an election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days. Yoon has justified his martial law enforcement as a necessary act of governance against an opposition he described as anti-state forces bogging down his agendas and vowed to fight to the end

South Korean leaders seek calm after President Yoon Suk Yeol impeached

South Korea's opposition leader offered Sunday to work with the government to ease the political tumult as officials sought to reassure allies and markets, a day after the opposition-controlled parliament voted to impeach conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol over a short-lived attempt to impose martial law. Liberal Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, whose party holds a majority in the National Assembly, urged the Constitutional Court to rule swiftly on Yoon's impeachment and proposed a special council for cooperation between the government and parliament. Yoon's powers have been suspended until the court decides whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. If Yoon is dismissed, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days. Lee, who has led a fierce political offensive against Yoon's embattled government, is seen as the frontrunner to replace him. He told a televised news conference that a swift court ruling would be the only way to minimize ...

S Korea's Oppn chief urges top court to act swiftly on Yoon's impeachment

South Korea's opposition leader on Sunday urged the Constitutional Court to rule swiftly on a bid to remove President Yoon Suk Yeol from office, a day after parliament voted to impeach him over a short-lived attempt to impose martial law. Yoon's powers will be suspended until the court rules on the case, either removing Yoon from office or restoring his powers. The court has up to 180 to decide, and if he's dismissed, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the country's No. 2 official, took over presidential powers later Saturday. Han was appointed by Yoon, whose government has struggled to pass legislation in the opposition-controlled parliament. Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party, told reporters Sunday that a swift ruling is the only way to minimize national chaos. Lee also proposed the creation of a national council where the government and the National Assembly would work together to stabil

Those who speak truth are threatened with impeachment: Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday hit out at the Opposition for initiating impeachment notices against Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Allahabad High Court's Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, saying "whoever speaks the truth" is threatened in this way. Speaking at the World Hindu Economic Forum 2024, he also accused the Congress of practicing double standards. "Whoever speaks the truth, these people will pressurise him with impeachment (motions), and still they talk about the Constitution. Look at their double standards. "An Allahabad High Court judge said there should be a Uniform Civil Code, and the world over the feelings of the majority community are respected," the UP chief minister said. What was a person's crime if he voices these opinions, he asked. "Shouldn't there be a Uniform Civil Code in the country? The world over, the system runs as per what the majority community says and India is saying the discrimination between majority and minority .

South Korea's Yoon defiant after impeachment over martial law bid

The Constitutional Court will decide whether to remove Yoon sometime in the next six months. If he is removed from office, a snap election will be called

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol impeached after failed martial law bid

Yoon is now suspended from office pending a decision by South Korea's Constitutional Court, which has up to 180 days to rule on his removal or reinstatement

S Korean parliament to vote on impeachment motion against President Yoon

South Korean lawmakers are set to vote on an opposition-led impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday, two days after Yoon defended his controversial martial law decree and vowed to resist mounting calls for his ouster. It'll be the second time for the National Assembly to hold a vote on Yoon's impeachment motion over his short-lived December 3 martial law introduction. Last Saturday, Yoon survived an impeachment vote after most ruling party lawmakers boycotted a floor vote. It's not clear if those People Power Party lawmakers would do the same again. Public protests against Yoon have since intensified and his approval rating has plummeted. The country's six opposition parties control the 300-member unicameral parliament with a combined 192 seats, but they are eight seats shy of the two-thirds majority needed to pass Yoon's impeachment motion. Tens of thousands of people poured onto the streets of capital Seoul in the past two weeks, calling for Yoon to be rem

More turmoil in South Korea as prosecutor set to probe Prez Yoon: Report

"The president will not be involved in any state affairs including diplomacy before his exit," Han Dong-hoon

South Korean Prez Yoon's impeachment fails as ruling party boycotts vote

A South Korean legislative push to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law fell through on Saturday after most lawmakers from his conservative governing party boycotted the vote. The defeat of the motion is expected to intensify public protests calling for Yoon's ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president's impeachment. Yoon's martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative party, but it is also determined to oppose Yoon's impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. Impeaching Yoon required support from two-thirds of the National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members. The opposition parties who brought the impeachment motion had 192 seats, but only three lawmakers from PPP participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn't reach 200. National Assembly ..

S Korean lawmakers to decide whether to impeach Prez over martial law bid

South Korean lawmakers on Saturday began meeting to vote on whether to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived attempt to impose martial law, as protests grew nationwide calling for his removal. They gathered in the National Assembly hours after Yoon issued a public apology over the move, saying he won't shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose martial law. In a brief televised address, Yoon said he would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country's political turmoil, including matters related to my term in office." The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologize to the people who must have been shocked a lot, Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon, a conservative, has struggled to push his agenda through an ...

All you need to know about martial law, effort to impeach S Korea's prez

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is facing possible impeachment for sending heavily armed soldiers into Seoul's streets with a baffling declaration of martial law that reminded many of the country's past military-backed dictatorships. Lawmakers began impeachment proceedings against Yoon just hours after parliament unanimously voted to cancel martial law, forcing the president to lift his order about six hours after it began. Opposition parties are pushing for a vote on Saturday on the impeachment motion, which needs support from two-thirds of the National Assembly to advance to the Constitutional Court, which would decide whether to remove Yoon from office. In a surprising turnaround, the head of Yoon's governing party expressed support for suspending the president's powers, making Yoon's impeachment more likely. Here's what to know about the situation: Will Yoon be impeached? Opposition parties are pushing for a parliamentary vote on Yoon's impeachment on Saturday, calling hi

South Korea's ruling party head supports suspending Prez Yoon's powers

South Korea's ruling party chief showed support Friday for suspending the constitutional powers of President Yoon Suk Yeol for imposing martial law, in a bombshell reversal that makes Yoon's impeachment more likely. People Power Party leader Han Dong-hun said he had received intelligence that Yoon had ordered the country's defense counterintelligence commander to arrest and detain unspecified key politicians based on accusations of anti-state activities during martial law. Han on Thursday had said he would work to defeat the impeachment motion even though he criticized Yoon's martial law declaration as unconstitutional. Han said there was a need to prevent damage to citizens and supporters caused by unprepared chaos. Han said Friday that Yoon poses a significant risk of extreme actions, like reattempting to impose martial law, which could potentially put the Republic of Korea and its citizens in great danger. Impeaching Yoon would require support from two-thirds of the National ...

South Korea's Prez replaces defence chief as parliament set to impeach him

South Korea's president accepted the resignation of his defense minister Thursday as opposition parties moved to impeach both men over the stunning yet short-lived imposition of martial law that brought armed troops into Seoul streets. The main opposition Democratic Party and other small opposition parties submitted a joint motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday over his martial law declaration the previous night. Martial law lasted about six hours, as the National Assembly quickly voted to overrule the president, forcing his Cabinet to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. On Thursday, Yoon replaced Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun with Choi Byung Hyuk, a retired four-star general who is South Korea's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Yoon's office said. It didn't provide any further comments by Yoon. He hasn't made any public appearances since he announced in a televised address that his government was lifting the martial law declaration. The opposition parties earlier ...

South Korea's opposition files impeachment motion against President Yoon

South Korea's opposition parties Wednesday submitted a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over the shocking and short-lived martial law that drew heavily armed troops to encircle parliament before lawmakers climbed walls to reenter the building and unanimously voted to lift his order. Impeaching Yoon would require the support of two-thirds of parliament, and at least six justices of the nine-member Constitutional Court would have to endorse it to remove him from office. The motion, submitted jointly by the main liberal opposition Democratic Party and five smaller opposition parties, could be put to a vote as early as Friday. Yoon's senior policy advisers and Defense Minster Kim Yong Hyun offered to resign as the nation struggles to make sense of what appeared to be a poorly-thought-out stunt. The Democratic Party on Wednesday submitted a separate motion to impeach Kim, who it alleged recommended the martial law declaration to Yoon. In his speech announcing the abrupt order .

Republicans invite Prez Biden to testify as impeachment inquiry stalls

House Republicans on Thursday invited President Joe Biden to testify before Congress as part of their impeachment inquiry into him and his family's business affairs. Rep James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, sent a letter to the Democratic president, inviting him to sit for a public hearing to "explain, under oath", what involvement he had in the Biden family businesses. "In light of the yawning gap between your public statements and the evidence assembled by the Committee, as well as the White House's obstruction, it is in the best interest of the American people for you to answer questions from Members of Congress directly, and I hereby invite you to do so," the Kentucky Republican wrote. While it is highly unlikely that Biden would agree to appear before lawmakers in such a setting, Comer pointed to previous examples of presidents' testifying before Congress. "As you are aware, presidents before you have provided testimony to congressional committees, including ..