Unless you live under a rock, you probably know about the martial law incident in South Korea.
But if you are, indeed, a Sun Wukong who lives under a rock (or a mountain), here’s a video summary of the entire incident, simplified in Singlish so even a five-year-old can understand:
So, what’s next?
President Yoon is likely going to be in preparing his CV for his next job, right?
Well, not yet.
Impeachment Proceedings
In response to the martial law incident, six opposition parties, led by the Democratic Party, initiated impeachment proceedings against President Yoon, accusing him of unconstitutional actions.
In layman’s term, impeaching him refers to removing him from office.
However, the impeachment motion required a two-thirds majority (200 out of 300 members) in the National Assembly (think of it as the Parliament in Singapore) to pass.
However, during the vote on 7 December, the ruling People Power Party (PPP), which Yoon is from, boycotted the session, resulting in only 195 lawmakers present, thus failing to meet the quorum.
Consequently, the impeachment motion did not proceed.
But you might have read something about the Defence Minister instead.
Defence Minister Resigned Instead
It’s reported that Defense Minister, Kim Yong-hyun, apparently played a pivotal role in the martial law declaration, having recommended it to President Yoon.
Following the incident, Kim offered his resignation on 5 December, which President Yoon accepted.
Kim publicly apologized for causing public concern and assumed full responsibility for the situation.
Subsequently, prosecutors detained Kim on charges related to his role in the martial law imposition, including allegations of insurrection and abuse of authority.
He was taken into custody during a voluntary appearance at a Seoul prosecutors’ office, marking the first detainment in the case.
A special 62-member team was established to investigate the martial law incident thoroughly.
So, what’s next for President Yoon?
What’s Next for President Yoon
President Yoon has announced plans to “step back from handling state affairs,” including diplomatic activities.
Han Dong-hoon, leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), indicated that an “orderly resignation” is being pursued to maintain stability. Opposition parties have pledged to file weekly impeachment motions until President Yoon steps down.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who is next in line to govern the country should President Yoon resign, added that at this moment, President Yoon will not be involved in managing state affairs, aiming to “minimize confusion and turmoil.”
Would you be jailed for being half-naked in public? Well, the answer will shock you. Seriously. Watch this to the end and you'll understand:
