Possibility of Yoon's ousting grows as at least 7 PPP lawmakers say they will vote for impeachment
Published: 13 Dec. 2024, 14:47
Updated: 13 Dec. 2024, 17:37
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- CHO JUNG-WOO
- [email protected]
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![Civic group members urge the People Power Party (PPP) to support President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment vote, scheduled for Saturday, during a press conference held in front of the PPP headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Friday. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/13/738d6e3d-be3a-4b43-8824-3398f3ab664c.jpg)
Civic group members urge the People Power Party (PPP) to support President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment vote, scheduled for Saturday, during a press conference held in front of the PPP headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Friday. [NEWS1]
With just one day remaining before the second parliamentary vote on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, at least seven lawmakers from the conservative People Power Party (PPP) have officially announced their intention to vote in favor of his removal.
A total of eight votes from PPP members are required for the impeachment motion to pass on Saturday, with the liberal bloc maintaining its 192 lawmakers eligible to participate in the vote after the seat made vacant by Cho Kuk, former chief of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party, was filled.
Cho's former seat was filled on Friday by Rep. Baek Sun-hee, a social welfare professor at Seoul Theological University. Baek was listed as No. 13 on the party's proportional representation slate in the April general elections, in which the minor liberal party won 12 seats.
Cho Kuk lost his Assembly seat on Thursday after the Supreme Court upheld a two-year prison sentence for him on charges of fabricating official documents and interfering in the state audit of a Busan city official.
According to the Public Official Election Act, “the constituency election commission shall decide the person to succeed to the seat of the vacant National Assembly” within 10 days of being notified of the vacancy “in the order specified in the roll of candidates for proportional representation members of the National Assembly."
Following Cho’s removal, Rep. Kim Sun-min assumed the role of acting leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party.
Meanwhile, at least 24 lawmakers have indicated their intention to take part in the impeachment vote, raising expectations that Yoon’s defensive line could collapse.
![President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers a public address at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul, on Thursday. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/13/9d588e3b-b962-4c2e-8ac0-d0b3a06a859d.jpg)
President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers a public address at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul, on Thursday. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]
PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong, a close confidant of Yoon who was elected as the party’s new floor leader on Thursday, plans to convene a general meeting on Saturday morning to build consensus on whether the party should uphold its official stance of opposing the impeachment and to discuss lawmakers’ participation in the vote.
Later on Friday, Kweon called on Yoon to exercise his veto power against six bills railroaded by the liberal Democratic Party, including the revised National Assembly Act. He stressed Yoon retains the authority to veto the bills, as he is still legally the president.
“The bills were forced through by the 'giant opposition' during the parliamentary plenary session on Nov. 28, and former floor leader Choo Kyung-ho formally requested the president to veto them,” Kweon said during a press briefing at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul.
“The request remains valid.”
When asked whether the president’s veto rights are still applicable, Kweon responded, “The president remains legally in office unless he resigns or is impeached.”
However, with more lawmakers announcing their intent to join the impeachment vote, the likelihood of Yoon’s impeachment appears to be growing.
“The outcome may depend on how the party line is decided,” Kim Jae-won, a member of the PPP’s Supreme Council, said during a radio interview with Korean broadcaster YTN.
“With seven lawmakers already publicly announcing their support for impeachment, it seems likely that the motion will pass,” Kim added.
During his fourth public address on Thursday, Yoon vowed to “firmly face” impeachment proceedings and investigations against him, while accusing the “giant opposition” of “paralyzing state affairs by abusing impeachment.”
Updated Dec. 13: Story updated to include PPP floor leader Kweon's statement regarding the president's veto power.
BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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