South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s political world is unraveling. On Friday, Yoon found himself increasingly isolated as tensions boiled over within his own party and across the political spectrum. The unexpected crisis escalated when the head of his ruling party, the People Power Party (PPP), called for Yoon’s impeachment after a controversial and ill-fated martial law decree earlier in the week. As if that weren't enough, the South Korean military made it clear it would refuse any order to reimpose martial law, signaling a significant blow to the president's already shaky position.
The situation took a dramatic turn when Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the PPP, voiced strong criticism against President Yoon. He called Yoon "unfit" to lead the country after the president's brief but chaotic declaration of martial law earlier in the week. Han’s comments were not just a casual remark—they signaled a potential shift in the political winds. “I think that President Yoon Suk Yeol should be suspended from office as soon as possible,” Han said during an emergency party meeting. While it wasn’t clear how many members of the PPP shared Han’s view, his comments ramped up the likelihood of a successful impeachment bid. This marked a seismic shift in the South Korean political landscape, with the ruling party now actively seeking to distance itself from its own leader.
The immediate cause of this political fallout was President Yoon’s decision on Tuesday to declare martial law, an action that stunned the nation. Under the martial law decree, all political activities were banned, and troops were mobilized to seize control of the National Assembly. The move was reminiscent of a heavy-handed approach that many South Koreans feared could undermine their hard-won democracy. Although the martial law was lifted less than 24 hours later, the damage had been done. Opposition lawmakers, in particular, were outraged by what they saw as a blatant overreach of power. The brief but jarring episode prompted calls for impeachment and drew comparisons to a failed "palace coup" led by an unpopular leader.
This unexpected political crisis intensified as new details about Yoon’s actions emerged. It was revealed that, in the hours following the martial law declaration, Yoon allegedly ordered the military to detain key political figures, including Han himself. According to Hong Jang-won, a deputy chief of the National Intelligence Service, Yoon’s orders were clear: “drag them all in.” The list of targets allegedly included not just opposition leaders like Lee Jae-myung, but also members of Yoon’s own party, such as Han and National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik. These revelations deepened concerns about Yoon’s intentions and fueled calls for his impeachment.
As the country braced for a potential impeachment vote, the opposition pushed forward with their case. Their argument centered on the claim that Yoon had violated constitutional principles and engaged in actions that amounted to "insurgency." Under South Korean law, such accusations could carry severe consequences, with the potential for life imprisonment or even the death penalty for those found guilty of plotting such acts. With tensions escalating, the stakes for President Yoon couldn’t have been higher.
Despite the mounting political pressure, Yoon's approval ratings plummeted to a record low of just 13 percent. This was a staggering fall for a president who had once enjoyed widespread support, but his actions throughout the martial law fiasco eroded his credibility and political standing. Even his own party was turning against him, with Han and other key figures now openly criticizing his leadership. The PPP held a broader closed-door meeting with its 108 lawmakers, but it ended without a clear consensus on what to do with Yoon. His absence from the meeting only heightened the sense of uncertainty, as lawmakers debated whether to push forward with impeachment.
Yoon’s decision to skip the meeting underscored just how out of touch he had become with his own party. As opposition lawmakers gathered outside the National Assembly, chanting calls for Yoon’s arrest, the speaker of the assembly, Woo Won-shik, made a chilling statement. He declared that he could not guarantee the president’s safety. This was a powerful signal of the escalating anger against Yoon, both inside and outside of the legislature. The impeachment vote was set for the following evening, and at least eight votes from Yoon's own camp were needed for it to succeed.
In an interview broadcast live on YouTube, Lieutenant General Kwak Jong-geun, the commander of South Korea's Special Forces, reinforced the military’s refusal to obey any martial law order from the president. He made it clear that if President Yoon attempted to issue another decree to impose martial law, it would not be followed. “I want to make it clear that it will never happen,” Kwak stated. “Even if I get such an order, I will reject it.” This public defiance from the military added another layer of complexity to Yoon’s already precarious position. It wasn’t just political figures who were opposed to him—it was also the very institutions that he might rely on in a moment of crisis.
Despite these setbacks, Yoon’s office denied the allegations that he had planned to arrest his political opponents, including Han. However, the ongoing saga of martial law continued to haunt the president. Lt. Gen. Kwak, who had initially been instructed to remove lawmakers from the Assembly during the vote to repeal martial law, openly defied the order. He admitted he could have faced punishment for disobedience but justified his decision by arguing that the order was legally questionable. His refusal to carry out the directive sent a powerful message about the challenges Yoon faced in trying to maintain control over the military.
The political fallout from Yoon’s brief attempt at martial law continued to reverberate throughout the nation. As the opposition rallied behind impeachment, they sought to capitalize on the opportunity to strengthen their position. If successful, the impeachment would not only remove Yoon from power but would also further damage the already fractured PPP. Han Dong-hoon, once a loyal ally of Yoon, had now become one of his harshest critics. The two men, both former prosecutors, had once worked closely together, but their relationship had soured in recent months. Tensions had escalated over issues like corruption involving Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, and their political differences had become increasingly public.
The PPP’s internal division mirrored the wider political instability gripping South Korea. Even if Yoon were impeached, the country would face deep uncertainty. The impeachment of a sitting president is a rare and dramatic event, and the consequences would be far-reaching. For the opposition, it represented a chance to seize control of the political narrative and to hold Yoon accountable for his actions. But for the PPP, it would mean a deeper fracture within their ranks, and the political future of both Yoon and Han would be thrown into jeopardy.
As the clock ticked toward the impeachment vote, South Koreans were left to wonder what would come next. Would President Yoon manage to survive this unprecedented challenge, or would he become the latest leader to be swept away by the turbulent currents of South Korea’s ever-changing political landscape? Only time would tell.
Login