South Korean opposition moves to impeach president over martial law declaration

South Korean opposition parties have submitted a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The motion was submitted by the main opposition Democratic Party and five smaller opposition parties.

Yeol is facing pressure to leave office hours after a short-lived martial law declaration drew heavily armed troops to parliament.

Lawmakers had to climb walls to access the building before unanimously voting to lift the order.

Martial law is the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers.

Yeol abruptly imposed the law on Tuesday night to “thwart anti-state forces”.

After the declaration, troops carrying full battle gear, including assault rifles, tried to take over the national assembly.

Under South Korean law, the president must immediately lift martial law if parliament votes against it by a majority.

Thousands of protesters arrived at the gates of the national assembly, as lawmakers evaded police lines and forced themselves into the building.

All 190 lawmakers who made it into the assembly voted against the law.

At about 4:30am, Yeol announced that he was reversing his earlier order. The martial law lasted about six hours.

The liberal opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in the 300-seat parliament, said on Wednesday that its lawmakers have asked Yeol to quit immediately or they would take steps to impeach him.

“President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration was a clear violation of the constitution. It didn’t abide by any requirements to declare it,” the Democratic Party said in a statement.

“His martial law declaration was originally invalid and a grave violation of the constitution. It was a grave act of rebellion and provides perfect grounds for his impeachment.”

Impeaching Yeol would require the support of two-thirds of parliament and the backing of at least six constitutional court justices.

Yeol’s senior advisers and secretaries have offered to resign. His cabinet members, including defence minister Kim Yong Hyun, are also facing calls to step down.