Sun Dec 08 04:12:15 UTC 2024: ## South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Faces Impeachment After Controversial Martial Law Declaration
**Seoul, December 7, 2024** – South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is on the brink of impeachment following a disastrous attempt to impose martial law. The declaration, made on Thursday night, was swiftly reversed just six hours later due to widespread public opposition. An impeachment bill brought forth by the opposition Democratic Party will be voted on Saturday. A two-thirds majority is required for passage.
The President’s controversial decision stemmed from accusations that the opposition is sympathetic to North Korea. However, public sentiment against President Yeol had already been brewing, fueled by a scandal involving a luxury handbag gifted to his wife, Kim Keon Hee.
The controversy began with the revelation that Kim received a $2,200 Dior Lady Dior pouch from Choi Jae-young, a Korean-American known for his criticism of the President’s hardline stance against North Korea. Footage emerged showing Choi purchasing the bag and then visiting Kim’s company, Kovanna Contents. While the footage doesn’t explicitly show the handover, the bag’s presence sparked outrage.
The video surfaced on a left-leaning YouTube channel, Voice of Seoul, in 2023, leading to accusations of impropriety and demands for an explanation. While a 12-hour interrogation of Kim in July yielded no evidence of bribery, the renewed scrutiny of this incident coincides with the fallout from the failed martial law declaration.
The Democratic Party holds 192 seats in the 300-member parliament. They need eight more votes from the ruling People’s Power Party to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority for impeachment. Even if the bill passes, it would still need to be approved by the Constitutional Court, requiring a 6-out-of-9 judge majority. Failure to secure the necessary votes would allow the opposition to resubmit the bill. If impeachment succeeds, Prime Minister Han Deok-soo would assume the presidency.
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