Six South Korean opposition parties, including the main opposition Democratic Party, have submitted a bill calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment. Yonhap News Agency reported Wednesday that widespread backlash erupted after Yoon's controversial and short-lived martial law declaration.
According to the local report, the bill is expected to be formally presented during a plenary session on Thursday, with a vote likely to take place on Friday or Saturday.
Meanwhile, South Korea's Prime Minister Han Duck-soo pledged to serve the people "until the very end." Critics of Yoon's move are calling for the president to resign.
"As the Prime Minister overseeing the Cabinet, I take full responsibility for all events leading up to this moment," Han said in a statement Wednesday titled "A message to the People."
"I will work with Cabinet members until the very end to serve the people," he said. "From this moment on, the Cabinet must fulfill its duties to ensure the nation's stability and the people's daily lives remain unaffected."
The president's own party has criticized his actions but remains undecided on its response. However, only a few of its members would need to support the impeachment motion for it to pass.
If the motion succeeds in parliament, President Yoon's powers and duties would be suspended immediately, with the prime minister stepping in as acting president.
The final decision then rests with South Korea's Constitutional Court. If the court upholds the impeachment, Yoon would be removed from office, triggering a presidential election within 60 days. However, if the court rejects the motion, Yoon would remain in power.
South Korea's opposition leader Lee Jae-myung called for people "to be alert and fight together" after martial law was imposed. He also said that it is "something I think [the ruling party] will try again when the situation is organised and improved."
In a speech in front of the National Assembly on Wednesday morning, Lee said that what happened last night was "a coup against the people," adding that the "great Korean people [had] overcome this coup."
