South Korea: In face of million-strong protest, ruling party sabotages Yoon’s impeachment

[Editor’s note: Readers can find more background information in the two previous reports by Won: “South Korea: After President Yoon’s failed self-coup” and “South Korea: Motive emerges for President Yoon’s failed self-coup”.]

Despite his failed December 3 self-coup, President Yoon Suk-yeol remains in his post after MPs from the conservative ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted a impeachment vote on December 7. This was despite 1 million people gathering outside for a candlelight protest demanding his ouster.

A successful vote for impeachment required at least eight of the 108 PPP MPs voting in favour. Ultimately, only three stayed in parliament for the vote. But by boycotting the vote, the PPP has committed political suicide.

PPP turmoil

PPP leader Han Dong-hoon was initially reluctant to proceed with impeachment, even though he voted in parliament to annul Yoon’s declaration of martial law in the early hours of December 4. By the morning of December 7, however, Han had shifted position after finding out his name was on a list of people to be arrested had the self-coup succeeded.

But Han faced resistance from PPP parliamentary leader and Yoon faction leader, Joo Ho-young. This triggered a fierce dispute within the party. Yoon met with Han, claiming he never planned to arrest him.

No compromise was achieved, but in the end, Han and his anti-Yoon faction failed to persuade other PPP MPs to support impeachment. Instead, under the pretext of maintaining political stability, Han opted for sabotaging impeachment.

PPP MPs did attend the parliamentary session to vote against the special prosecution opening an investigation into Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon-hee. Though six PPP MPs voted in favor, this was not enough to obtain the required 200 votes (the final vote was 198-102).

PPP MPs, including Han, then boycotted the impeachment vote by walking out. Former presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo and two other PPP MPs broke ranks and stayed, but again this was not enough to reach the needed two-thirds majority.

Gigantic protest

Outside, hundreds of thousands started to gather at 3pm — two hours before the impeachment session began — filling the avenue in front of parliament and surrounding streets.

The area was so overcrowded that subway trains were forced to bypass the station at parliament. But the cold weather did not stop people walking from all directions to parliament after getting off one or two stations later.

Wave after wave of people turned up, with separate rallies marching to the main protest organised by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the Candlelight Coalition.

With 1 million people surrounding parliament to demand Yoon’s immediate impeachment, it became impossible to move in any direction. So many people were using their phones in one place that the signal collapsed.

The presence of youth was especially noticeable. As night fell, glow sticks and mobile phones could be seen side-by-side with the more traditional candles, creating a spectacular scene reminiscent of a huge K-Pop concert.

Protesters’ hopes for impeachment were not met however — at least for now.

After the sabotaged impeachment

Han and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo held a joint press conference the next day to explain that while Yoon would not be impeached, the two would take charge of running the government. No timetable for this supposed transition was proposed.

The announcement was harshly criticised by opposition parties, who described it as another coup and denounced the two as co-coup conspirators.

Commentators noted it was not possible for someone who was not elected to run the government (both the party leader and PM were handpicked by the president). All agreed that impeachment was the only legitimate means to restore the constitutional order.

Meanwhile, former defense minister Kim Yong Hyun has been arrested, with police searching his office and residence to seize evidence relating to the self-coup. The investigation will almost certainly target Yoon next.

People remain dubious of any investigation by the police or prosecutor's office, as police were mobilised in Yoon’s short-lived martial law and the prosecutor's office is a key base of Yoon’s support. But the illegitimacy and illegality of the self-coup is so self-evident that any investigation will likely proceed at a swift pace.

What lies ahead?

With the failed first attempt at impeachment, the struggle for democracy has entered a different stage.

Politically speaking, Yoon is paralysed but still technically in power. The ruling party is trying to control the situation, but has become increasingly isolated due to internal and external pressure. Even the United States government has come out against Yoon’s self-coup.

Opposition parties are still pursuing an impeachment vote. The enormous pressure building up as a result of people’s anger and rage may force Yoon to resign before then. Whether via impeachment or resignation, Yoon’s fate as president seems sealed, with a high likelihood he is soon in prison.

Han Dong-hoon’s proposed peaceful and orderly retreat will not save Yoon or the PPP. People will prevail and democracy will win out again, as it has on several occasions in South Korea’s modern history.

A new stage in this fight has begun. The struggle continues.