South Korea President Yoon to address nation ahead of impeachment vote

SEOUL — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will address the nation on Dec 7 morning, his office said, ahead of a planned impeachment vote over his attempt this week to impose martial law.

He is slated to speak at 10am local time (9am in Singapore).

The speech would be the embattled leader's first public appearance since he rescinded the martial law order early on Dec 4 just six hours after it was declared, after parliament defied military and police cordons to vote against the decree.

On Dec 6, the leader of Yoon's own People Power Party (PPP) said the president was a danger to the country and needed to be removed from power, increasing the pressure on him to quit even though PPP members later reaffirmed its formal opposition to his impeachment.

Lawmakers will vote on the main opposition Democratic Party's motion to impeach Yoon, who shocked the nation late on Dec 3 when he gave the military sweeping emergency powers in order to root out what he called "anti-state forces" and overcome obstructionist political opponents.

Some PPP members urged Yoon to resign before the vote, saying they did not want a repeat of the 2016 impeachment of then-President Park Geun-hye, who left office following months of candlelit protests over an influence-peddling scandal.

Her downfall triggered the implosion of the party and a victory by liberals in presidential and general elections.

In scenes reminiscent of those protests, thousands of demonstrators holding candles assembled outside parliament on Dec 6 night demanding Yoon's impeachment.

More demonstrations are expected on Dec 7 ahead of the vote.

Prosecutors, the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials have all launched probes into Yoon and senior officials involved in the martial law decree, seeking to pursue charges of insurrection and abuse of power, among others.

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