"Immediate Impeachment Needed" Claim
President Yoon Suk-yeol announced a national address explaining the background of the December 3 martial law incident, prompting strong criticism from the two major labor unions and civil society groups.
On the 12th, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) issued a statement saying, "We cannot contain our boiling anger at a speech filled with shifting all blame onto others and the opposition party, evading responsibility, and full of self-excuses and lies." It criticized, "This address is tantamount to declaring to the entire nation that the rebellion will not cease, and it is no different from confessing that the unconstitutional emergency martial law originated from third-rate low-quality conspiracy theories and delusions seen only on conservative far-right YouTube channels." It added, "Impeachment is inevitable, and immediate suspension from duty through swift arrest is necessary at this point," urging, "The People Power Party should not obstruct Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment and must ask the public for forgiveness."
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) also released a statement calling the address "an arbitrary and delusional speech," and demanded, "No words are needed; let us immediately impeach President Yoon."
Strong criticism also came from civil society. The Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ) stated, "This address was an appeal to People Power Party lawmakers to oppose impeachment, keeping in mind the upcoming re-vote on the impeachment motion, and is nothing more than a self-excuse considering the anticipated Constitutional Court review if the impeachment passes." It emphasized, "Political conflicts such as government paralysis should have been resolved through political dialogue, not military force. Such abuse of emergency martial law must never be repeated." Regarding President Yoon’s mention of North Korea’s hacking attacks on the National Election Commission, the group expressed serious concern, saying, "We worry that this may have been influenced by far-right YouTubers’ election fraud theories."
People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy also said, "This address did not acknowledge any of the administration’s failures and faults, instead branding citizens’ critical actions against the government and even the opposition party’s legitimate exercise of authority within the constitution and law as acts of destroying the constitutional order." It appealed, "We can no longer overlook the unstable situation where Yoon Suk-yeol might commit further constitutional crimes. Yoon Suk-yeol must be immediately impeached and suspended from duty."
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