Author: Reporter

South Korea’s opposition parties on December 4 submitted a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over the shocking and short-lived martial law that drew heavily armed troops to encircle parliament before lawmakers climbed walls to reenter the building and unanimously voted to lift his order. Impeaching Yoon would require the support of two-thirds of parliament, and at least six justices of the nine-member Constitutional Court would have to endorse it to remove him from office. The motion, submitted jointly by the main liberal opposition Democratic Party and five smaller opposition parties, could be put to a vote as...

It may seem that the wild predawn scenes in Seoul, with hundreds of armed troops and frantic lawmakers storming South Korea’s parliament building after the president suddenly declared martial law, came out of nowhere. But the chaotic events, which were still playing out on December 4 as opposition leaders introduced an impeachment motion and called for President Yoon Suk Yeol’s immediate resignation, should be seen in the context of South Korea’s recent tumultuous political and social history. These moments resonate with South Koreans in their daily lives, and as they look to explain Yoon’s short-lived declaration of emergency martial...

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol faced parliamentary moves to impeach him after he sent heavily armed forces into Seoul’s streets with his baffling and sudden declaration of martial law that harkened to the country’s past dictatorships. Opposition parties submitted the impeachment motion just hours after parliament unanimously voted to cancel Yoon’s declaration, forcing him to lift martial law about six hours after it began. Impeaching Yoon requires the support of two-thirds of the National Assembly and at least six of the nine Constitutional Court justices. The liberal opposition Democratic Party holds a majority in the 300-seat parliament and...

UPDATE: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said early on December 4 that he would soon lift the military rule he imposed overnight, after the parliament voted to reject his martial law declaration. Yoon said his government has withdrawn military personnel that had been deployed, and that he would formally lift martial law following a Cabinet meeting as “soon as members arrive.” Yoon had declared martial law late Tuesday, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces as he struggles against an opposition that controls the country’s parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. Less than three hours...

Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party in Wisconsin, said on December 1 he has joined the race to lead the national party after an election that swept Donald Trump and Republicans to power in Washington. “In Wisconsin, we’ve built a permanent campaign,” Wikler said in his candidacy announcement. “We organize and communicate year-round in every corner of the state — rural, suburban, urban, red, blue and purple areas alike.” Since losing control of the White House, the Senate and the House, Democrats are looking for new leadership to tackle the nation’s problems with the additional challenge of confronting...