People Power Party edges closer to impeachment of Pres. Yoon

The People Power Party (PPP), South Korea’s ruling party, appears to be inching toward endorsing the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. Just days before the second impeachment vote scheduled for Saturday, five PPP lawmakers have publicly declared their support for the motion. With eight affirmative votes from the ruling party required to pass the bill, momentum within the PPP is shifting from advocating for an “orderly exit” to embracing impeachment as the inevitable course of action.

Rep. Kim Jae-seob of the ruling party held a press conference at the National Assembly on Wednesday to voice his support. “Urging the president to step down, which relies solely on his goodwill, is no longer a viable option. The most orderly exit is impeachment,” Kim said, becoming the fifth PPP member to publicly endorse the measure, following Cho Kyung-tae, Ahn Cheol-soo, Kim Ye-ji, and Kim Sang-wook. He urged his party to make impeachment its official stance, declaring, “The way to die is the way to live.”

The ruling party leadership is also reportedly warming to the idea. “We’ve confirmed that President Yoon has no intention of resigning,” said one party official. “Calls for an orderly exit had proven futile, which party leader Han Dong-hoon initially proposed as an alternative to impeachment. According to sources, investigative agencies’ recent raids on the presidential office have rendered impeachment unavoidable, and Han is reportedly contemplating a public announcement to clarify his stance.

Meanwhile, more lawmakers are preparing to vote in favor of impeachment, regardless of the party’s official position. In a survey of 31 lawmakers who participated in votes to lift martial law orders and appoint special prosecutors, eight additional lawmakers indicated their intent to support impeachment. This adds to the five who have declared their stance, making at least 13 ruling party members likely to back the motion.

The internal debate over impeachment is also dividing PPP leadership candidates ahead of the floor leader election on Thursday. Kwon Sung-dong, a five-term pro-Yoon lawmaker, maintains that the party opposes impeachment. Conversely, a four-term lawmaker from an anti-Yoon faction suggested that this vote would be a test of lawmakers’ free will. Shin Ji-ho, a vice director of strategy and planning aligned with Han Dong-hoon, accused pro-Yoon lawmakers of attempting to oust Han and seize control of the party.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea plans to submit the second impeachment bill against President Yoon on Thursday after refining charges related to treason. The bill, which was initially slated for submission on Wednesday, is set for a plenary vote at 5 p.m. on Saturday.


Jun-Il Kim jikim@donga.com