South Korea's opposition sets Dec 7 to vote on impeachment motion, Yoon's party lawmaker vows to oppose but...

South Korea’s main opposition - Democratic Party - said on Thursday that it aimed to bring a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his brief imposition of martial law to a vote on December 7.

According to a report by Yonhap, the Democratic Party “seeks vote on Yoon impeachment motion Saturday.”

But does opposition have the required number to impeaching Yoon? The answer is no. They need support of eight lawmakers for getting the impeachment bill passed.

How will they manage?

It could be difficult for the opposition as it has a low chance of getting support from the lawmakers of the ruling party, most of whom were strongly against Yoon’s imposition of martial law in the country.

On Thursday, the ruling party said they will oppose the motion with the floor leader of People Power Party vowing that all their lawmakers would “unite” to defeat an opposition-led motion to impeach Preisdent Yoon over his brief declaration of martial law.

“All 108 lawmakers of the People Power Party will stay united to reject the president’s impeachment,” Choo Kyung-ho said at a live-streamed party meeting.

Ruling party’s assurance comes with a demand from Yoon

Though all 108 members of the ruling party in the 300-member parliament vowed to defeat an opposition-led motion to impeach the President, but leader of People Power Party, Han Dong-hoon, on Thursday, has asked Yoon to leave the party.

Addressing reporters, Han Dong-hoon said he had “demanded the president’s resignation from the party,” and that his party was “not trying to defend the president’s unconstitutional martial law.”

What if impeachment motion is passed?

If the motion is passed, Yoon will be suspended pending a verdict by the Constitutional Court. If the judges give the nod, Yoon will be impeached and new election will have to be conducted within 60 days.

Yoon has not been seen in public since his televised address in the early hours of December 4.

Late Wednesday, Yoon’s office said that Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun resigned, but other key allies including Interior Minister Lee Sang-min remain in office.

With inputs from agencies.