Walking the Plank

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol narrowly survived an impeachment motion over the weekend after his short-lived declaration of martial law last week, even as prosecutors investigate treason charges against him, CNBC reported.

Yoon instituted martial law, citing frustration with an opposition-controlled parliament, which he accused of obstructing governance and harboring “anti-state forces.”

The announcement was accompanied by military deployments to parliament, the National Assembly, and marked the first invocation of martial law in more than 40 years.

However, lawmakers unanimously voted to overturn the declaration within six hours, forcing the president to rescind the decree before dawn.

On Saturday, opposition legislators, who hold a majority, introduced an impeachment motion but fell short of the two-thirds majority needed after Yoon’s conservative People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote.

Yoon has apologized publicly for the declaration of martial law, promising to take legal and political responsibility while pledging to refrain from such a declaration again.

However, South Korean prosecutors have launched a treason investigation into his move, with former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun detained Sunday for allegedly recommending the action, CBS News reported.

If found guilty of treason, Yoon could face life imprisonment or even the death penalty. While presidents typically have immunity from prosecution, that does not extend to charges of rebellion or treason.

The political crisis has sparked mounting public fury and massive protests, with police estimating more than 100,000 demonstrators gathered near parliament over the weekend. Yoon’s approval rating has plummeted to almost single digits, further fueling calls for his removal.

At the same time, the opposition has said it would again try to impeach Yoon.

The upheaval also comes at a critical time as the export-driven economy grapples with slowing growth and rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The turmoil has also raised international concerns, disrupting Seoul’s alliances and delaying US-South Korea defense meetings.

In an effort to ameliorate the situation, Yoon’s party has proposed that Prime Minister Han Duck-soo take over state affairs temporarily to facilitate Yoon’s “orderly exit,” though the opposition Democratic Party rejected the move as unconstitutional and vowed to push for his resignation or impeachment, Bloomberg wrote.