The impeachment motion against the president who tried to impose martial law was blocked. In his first address after the tumultuous night last Wednesday, Yoon called it an act of "desperation", pledging not to repeat it. The People Power Party, which sees his resignation as "inevitable", is taking its time to negotiate a less traumatic exit. Appealing to protesters, the opposition, however, won’t have it, and will try another impeachment motion.
The debate on Yoon's impeachment is set for tomorrow afternoon local time. The opposition only needs eight votes from the People Power Party for the impeachment to pass, a move made more likely after news reports suggest that the president planned to have other political leaders arrested on the night of the attempted coup. In case of approval, the matter would move to the Constitutional Court, where, however, only six out of nine judges are in office (four appointed by Yoon himself).
The opposition has tabled a motion to impeach the head of state to be voted in the coming days. Interior and Defence ministers, who allegedly played a role in imposing martial law, are also accused. Civil society groups take to the streets calling for the president’s resignation.
A few days ago, more than 1,400 South Korean priests sounded the alarm bells for democracy by openly calling for the president’s impeachment. The clergymen call Yoon a "man of lies" and a "man of violence", “unable to understand his role and respect the power that the people have given him.” Political and media activities have been suspended, while police surrounded the country’s parliament.
The number of older inmates rose from 2,801 to 6,504 between 2014 and 2023, from 8.4 per cent to 17.1 per cent. For South Korea’s political class, this emergency is a low priority because it is not a vote-getter; yet, the system risks collapse from inaction. The aging inmate population is also reflected in the aging of prison guards, three quarter of whom are aged 40 and 50.
Ukraine’s Defence Minister met with President Yoon Suk-yeol to share information on military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. Donald Trump’s return to the White House remains the unknown factor in the war. So far, South Korea has only sent non-lethal military equipment to Kyiv, but it remains among the world's largest arms exporters.
