SEOUL – South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s approval rating slid to its lowest level since he took office as he tried to defend his declaration of martial law and push back against efforts to oust him via impeachment.
The support rate for Mr Yoon dropped to 11 per cent in a weekly tracking poll released on Dec 13 by Gallup Korea, down 5 per cent percentage points from last week’s survey. Three-quarters of respondents said the president should be impeached.
The survey was released after South Korea’s opposition bloc filed a second impeachment motion against Mr Yoon on Dec 12. The chances of its passage appear higher than the previous vote as more lawmakers from his own People Power Party have indicated they will support the motion.
“Impeachment is the only way to quickly and securely put an end to this chaos,” opposition leader Lee Jae-myung said as he urged ruling party lawmakers to join efforts to remove Mr Yoon. “History will remember your choice.”
The poll had 1,002 respondents across the country and a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, Gallup Korea said.
Among those who had an unfavorable view of Mr Yoon, 49 per cent cited his declaration of martial law, making it the biggest factor for his unpopularity. Other reasons cited included the state of the economy and a lack of competence.
In the face of growing public anger over his brief attempt to impose martial law last week, Mr Yoon on Dec 12 tried to justify his decision and keep supporters on his side as he vowed to fight any case against him.
The opposition needs to secure 200 votes in parliament to pass the motion, which they plan to report at a plenary session on Dec 13. The ballot is expected to take place on Dec 14.
At least eight ruling party votes are need to pass the motion. So far, seven members from Mr Yoon’s party have hinted that they would support the impeachment.
A successful motion would result in an immediate suspension of duties for Mr Yoon and a Constitutional Court case lasting up to 180 days. If the court rules against the president, he would be forced out of office, triggering a presidential election within 60 days. Bloomberg
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