Reform New Party Joins Yoon Impeachment... Lee Jun-seok "Communicating with 6 People Power Party Lawmakers"

From 'Impeachment Postponement' to 'Joint Submission of Impeachment Bill'
Opposition Unites After Emergency Martial Law Declaration and Lift

The Reform Party, which had not participated in 'radical actions' such as off-site protests targeting President Yoon Suk-yeol, has changed its stance. Lee Jun-seok, a member of the Reform Party, along with Cheon Ha-ram, the floor leader, and Lee Joo-young, the policy committee chairman, announced that they would proceed with impeachment procedures against President Yoon at the National Assembly level together with other opposition parties.

On the afternoon of the 4th, after meeting with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik at the main building of the National Assembly, Lee told reporters, "We reaffirmed our intention to participate in the proposal of the impeachment motion against President Yoon." He added, "I also asked the Speaker to take preemptive measures to ensure the safety and security within the National Assembly premises." The previous day, around 10:30 p.m., President Yoon declared martial law and deployed military and police forces to the National Assembly. Although the martial law was lifted after the National Assembly passed a resolution to end it, resulting in the '6-hour reign' of martial law, its aftermath continues to affect the political sphere.

Lee Jun-seok, a member of the Reform New Party, raises both hands toward the People Power Party members during the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 2nd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Lee, who is from the People Power Party, also anticipated the possibility of defections within the ruling party during the vote on President Yoon's impeachment following the re-vote on the 'Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Act.' He said, "Yesterday, when I personally spoke with People Power Party members with whom I have a close relationship, they said the special prosecutor act would definitely pass upon re-vote. Regarding the impeachment motion, about six members communicated that under these circumstances, they would have no choice but to follow the will of the people."

On the same day, six opposition parties submitted the impeachment motion against President Yoon to the National Assembly's legislative affairs office. The impeachment motion proposed that day is expected to be reported to the plenary session in the early hours of the 5th, past midnight. Subsequently, the opposition expressed their intention to proceed with the voting process on the 6th or 7th. For the impeachment motion against the president to be approved, it requires the support of at least two-thirds of the total members, which is more than 200 votes. The combined opposition votes amount to 192, so at least eight defections from the ruling party are necessary for the motion to pass.