Position statement ahead of presidential impeachment vote
Han: “I will take responsibility and lead efforts to resolve the situation”
Han: “Yoon mentioned ‘martial law due to Democratic Party’s tyranny’… This cannot justify unconstitutional martial law”
, On the 5th, Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, publicly called for President Yoon Suk-yeol’s resignation once again. He argued that the declaration and subsequent resolution of martial law contradict the party’s principles, which advocate for liberal democracy. Han stated that he will work to ensure that the impeachment vote against President Yoon, which is possible from the early hours of the 6th, does not pass. However, he emphasized that “those responsible, including the president, who have unsettled the public and harmed the nation through unconstitutional martial law, must be held accountable.”
Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, along with fellow lawmakers, makes a statement regarding President Yoon Suk-yeol’s announcement to lift martial law in front of the National Assembly plenary session hall in Yeouido, Seoul, in the early hours of the 4th. /News1
In the party’s supreme council meeting held at the National Assembly this morning, Han reiterated his call for the president’s resignation, stating, “As the leader of the party, I demand once again that President Yoon resign. As I said in the supreme council meeting yesterday, this situation deviates significantly from the values of our party, which stands for liberal democracy.”
He continued, “To our supporters, party members, and fellow lawmakers, I promise to take responsibility and lead efforts to resolve this situation.”
Han also noted, “As a politician in South Korea, I will consider public sentiment, and as a conservative politician, I will think about the feelings of our supporters. Please entrust this task to me. It is indeed a challenging issue, but I will focus solely on the people.”
Despite opposing the impeachment led by the six opposition parties, Han stated, “From the day martial law was declared until yesterday, and even this morning, I have deliberated extensively. As the party leader, I will strive to prevent the impeachment from passing to avoid further chaos and harm to the public and our supporters.”
He emphasized, “This is not an attempt to endorse the president’s unconstitutional martial law.” Han stated, “Since the initial moment of the martial law declaration, I have stood with the people in their anger and patriotism regarding this incident, and I will continue to do so.”
Earlier on the morning of that day, the impeachment motion against President Yoon was reported to the National Assembly at 12:48 a.m. The vote must take place between 24 to 72 hours following the report at the plenary session, making it possible from December 6 at 12:49 a.m. For the impeachment to pass, at least two-thirds (200 members) of the total eligible votes are needed. With a total of 192 opposition lawmakers, if more than eight ruling party members dissent, the impeachment could be approved.
Han added, “We cannot return to the situation before yesterday. The public will not accept it. Our party’s lawmakers and members must face this harsh reality and public sentiment.” He continued, “Nonetheless, South Korea must continue to develop, and the people’s lives must improve. At the same time, forces trying to seize power to evade criminal charges must be stopped.”
Furthermore, Han raised the issue of presidential accountability, stating, “Those responsible for unsettling the public and harming the nation through unconstitutional martial law, including the president, must be rigorously held accountable.”
It was revealed that there was a significant difference of opinion during a meeting with President Yoon at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 4th. Han reported, “Although I met with the president yesterday, his understanding of the situation was significantly different from mine and from public sentiment, making it hard to reach a consensus.” He conveyed that the president stated, “The martial law was unavoidable due to the Democratic Party’s tyranny,” to which Han responded, “Although we agree on the problem of the Democratic Party’s tyranny, we must not justify unconstitutional and unlawful martial law.”
Han also called for the punishment of military officials involved in the martial law, saying, “First and foremost, we must immediately remove the military officials directly involved in this incident from their positions. This will help alleviate public anxiety, as people may fear a recurrence or preparation for similar incidents.” He added, “We must demonstrate that officials involved in such unconstitutional and illegal actions will be immediately punished to stabilize the military.”