One day you’re singing American Pie at the White House, and the next you’re facing impeachment for a failed coup.
What happened: South Korea’s National Assembly will vote today on whether to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol after he briefly enacted martial law this week. Calls for him to step down have also intensified after new intel found Yoon plotted the arrest of political rivals.
Catch-up: South Korea’s constitution allows for the president to enact martial law in wartime or national emergencies. Yoon called for it, claiming that “anti-state” actors in the government were plotting rebellion and supporting North Korea — he provided no real evidence for this.
- However, the constitution allows for the National Assembly to vote to overturn martial law. The assembly did so unanimously, with military rule lasting just six hours.
Why it matters: Experts speculate Yoon was staging a coup to retain power amid scandals and plunging approval rates. While South Korea had the balances to keep him in check, it’s still a startling example of democratic backsliding in a country that’s grown more autocratic.
What’s next: Impeachment needs a two-thirds majority to pass, requiring support from some members of Yoon’s party. This looks likely to happen, with the head of the party calling to kick Yoon to the curb. If the vote passes, it’ll go to the Constitutional Court for approval.—QH