South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol pledges to “fight to the end”

Trapped South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol He defended his sudden decision to declare martial law last week, saying he did so to protect the country’s democracy.

In a surprise televised speech on Thursday, he said the attempt was a legal decision to “prevent the collapse” of democracy And the “parliamentary dictatorship” confronts the opposition.

Yoon suggested he would not step down before the second impeachment vote in Parliament on Saturday.

He said: “I will stand firm whether I am impeached or investigated.” “I will fight to the end.”

He confronts the president and his allies Investigations on charges of rebellion, and many of them were banned from leaving South Korea.

The opposition-led parliament voted on Thursday to impeach Police Chief Cho Ji-ho and Justice Minister Park Sung-jae. The officials were immediately suspended.

Unlike motions to impeach presidents, which require 200 votes out of 300 members of the National Assembly to pass, other officials can be removed with 150 votes.

In his first speech since his speech Apology over the weekendYoon denied that his martial law order amounted to an act of rebellion, claiming that his political opponents were creating “false incitement” to bring him down.

Yoon repeated many of the same arguments he used the night he declared martial law: that opposition was dangerous, and that by seizing power he was trying to protect the common people and defend democracy.

But Yoon added that he would not shirk his “legal and political responsibilities.”

last Saturday, The attempt by opposition representatives to remove the president failed After members of the ruling People Power Party boycotted the vote. But opposition members are scheduled to hold another impeachment vote this weekend, and have pledged to hold a vote every Saturday until Yoon is removed from office.

The leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, Cho Kyung-ho, resigned after the failed impeachment attempt, and the party on Thursday elected Kwon Seung-dong, a Lyon loyalist, as his successor.

Kwon told reporters on Thursday that he would hold discussions with PPP lawmakers about whether they should continue to oppose Yoon’s impeachment.

Yoon’s party had hoped to persuade the president to leave office early, rather than force him to step down.

Minutes before Yoon spoke, his party leader Han Dong-hun appeared on television, saying the matter had become clear The president will not step down. Hahn then urged party members to vote to remove him from office on Saturday.

The opposition submitted another motion to impeach the president on Thursday, paving the way for a vote at 17:00 local time (09:00 GMT) on Saturday.

If South Korea’s parliament passes the impeachment bill, the Constitutional Court will hold a trial. Two-thirds of that court would have to maintain a majority for Yoon to be permanently removed from office.

Yoon has been a weak president since the opposition won the April general election by a landslide – his government was unable to pass the laws it wanted, and was forced to veto bills proposed by the opposition.

Yoon also accused North Korean sympathizers of trying to undermine his government when he declared martial law on the night of December 3.

Advertisement The country was plunged into political turmoil. Protesters confronted security forces in front of the National Assembly building while lawmakers rushed to vote to reject Yoon’s order.

Yoon withdrew the martial law order hours after it was blocked by lawmakers.

Since then the country has remained on the brink of abyss. There were massive protests and strikes demanding Yoon’s dismissal, as was the presidential office It was raided on Wednesday Yoon faces multiple investigations on charges of rebellion and treason.

Meanwhile, former Defense Minister Kim Young-hyun, who resigned and took charge of declaring martial law, announced He attempted to commit suicide while in custody on TuesdayOfficials said. He is in stable condition.