South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung declared on Friday that impeaching President Yoon Suk Yeol would be the best way to restore political stability, ahead of a planned parliamentary vote on the matter. The vote comes in response to Yoon’s brief but controversial imposition of martial law on December 3, which he rescinded after just six hours. Despite its short duration, the move sparked a constitutional crisis and widespread calls for Yoon to step down for violating the law.

The president narrowly survived an earlier impeachment attempt when his People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote, denying a quorum. However, at least seven PPP members have since indicated their intention to support the impeachment, leaving the opposition just one vote shy of the 200 needed for the measure to pass. Yoon, undeterred, vowed on Thursday to "fight to the end," accusing the opposition of government paralysis and claiming—without evidence—that a North Korean hack of the election commission contributed to his party’s defeat in the April parliamentary election.

Democratic Party leader Lee described Yoon’s remarks as “a declaration of war” against the people, asserting that impeachment was the swiftest and most effective way to resolve the crisis. Lee appealed to PPP members to vote in favor of impeachment, emphasizing that their decision would be judged by history. Should the impeachment pass, the case would move to South Korea’s Constitutional Court, which would have six months to determine whether Yoon should be removed from office.

Yoon’s justification for declaring martial law included accusations that the National Election Commission had failed to cooperate with a systems inspection, raising questions about the integrity of the April elections. However, commission officials refuted these claims, pointing out that South Korea’s voting system relies entirely on paper ballots. Courts have dismissed all 216 claims of election irregularities as baseless. Meanwhile, Yoon is under criminal investigation for alleged insurrection related to the martial law decree. Authorities have already detained an army commander and two senior police officers linked to the declaration.

The political turmoil has also raised concerns about South Korea’s diplomatic standing. Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul told parliament that the martial law decree had caused “serious damage” to the country’s international reputation. While the U.S. and other Western nations have expressed concerns over stability, they have largely refrained from strong criticism, focusing instead on Yoon’s decision to rescind the order.

Amid the crisis, South Korea’s financial markets have shown resilience, with shares rising for a fourth consecutive session on hopes of political resolution following the impeachment vote. The finance ministry has pledged to stabilize markets if volatility increases after Saturday’s decision. Observers, both domestic and international, are closely watching the unfolding political drama and its potential ramifications for South Korea’s governance and diplomacy.

Disclaimer:This image is taken from Reuters.