The leader of South Korea's ruling party demanded on Friday that President Yoon Suk Yeol be removed from office, citing a "significant risk" of him attempting to impose martial law again.

President Yoon declared martial law late Tuesday but was forced to reverse the decision after lawmakers confronted soldiers at parliament and voted to overturn the measure. Thousands of protesters had gathered outside the National Assembly in opposition to the move.

Han Dong-hoon, head of the People Power Party, stated, "Considering the newly emerging facts, I believe that a swift suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol's duties is necessary to safeguard the Republic of Korea and its people." Han, who had previously opposed impeachment just a day earlier, expressed a shift in stance due to new revelations.

"If Yoon remains, there is a significant risk that extreme actions similar to the martial law declaration could be repeated, which could put the Republic of Korea and its citizens in great danger," Han warned. He also revealed "credible evidence" suggesting that Yoon had ordered the arrest of "key politicians" and their detention in a holding facility.

Han criticized Yoon for failing to acknowledge the illegality of his martial law declaration, stating, "Yoon does not acknowledge that this illegal martial law is wrong" and has neglected to take action against the military officials who "illegally intervened".

Duty of commanders involved in martial law declaration suspended

Meanwhile, South Korea's Defense Ministry announced that it suspended the duty of three military commanders involved in the martial law declaration made by President Yoon Suk Yeol earlier this week, Xinhua reported.

The chiefs of the capital defense command, the army special warfare command, and the counterintelligence command were suspended and transferred to other units.

It came amid the lingering worry about another martial law declaration in the opposition bloc.

Opposition pushes impeachment vote 

The opposition in South Korea has introduced a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, which is scheduled for a vote at 7:00 pm (1000 GMT) on Saturday. However, it remained uncertain whether the motion would pass. Han Dong-hoon’s recent remarks mark a dramatic shift, as just a day earlier, he had stated that the People Power Party (PPP) would block the motion, which requires a two-thirds majority to pass. The opposition bloc controls 192 seats in the 300-member parliament, while the PPP holds 108. If the vote passes, it will suspend Yoon from office until the Constitutional Court rules.

"While there may still be a few ruling party members supporting Yoon Suk Yeol, it seems that Han's statements today are significantly influenced by the gravity of the situation, particularly the mobilisation of intelligence agencies to arrest politicians," said Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University. "It appears that Han and the party leaders have concluded there is actually a significant possibility that President Yoon may declare a second martial law," Shin added.

Reports indicate that Han was scheduled to meet with President Yoon, who has been absent since early Wednesday. Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers, led by spokesperson Jo Seung-lae, have decided to stay inside the National Assembly until the impeachment vote. Jo explained, "This decision was made in response to 'a lot of tips the party has received' regarding a potential second attempt by Yoon to declare martial law."

A recent opinion poll showed Yoon’s approval rating at a record low of 13 percent, reflecting the ongoing turmoil since his presidency began in 2022. In response, a 120-member police team has been assigned to investigate charges of insurrection filed by the opposition against Yoon and other senior officials. "If evidence arises during the investigation suggesting preparations for a second martial law, we will pursue it," said Kim San-ho, the officer overseeing the investigation, although he added that there was currently no evidence of a second attempt.

Yoon’s office confirmed the resignation of Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on Thursday, but key allies, including Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, remain in place. Prosecutors have reportedly banned Kim from leaving the country. Meanwhile, lawmakers have been questioning senior officials, including General Park An-su, the army chief of staff and martial law commander. Park stated on Thursday that he was unaware of the martial law announcement until after it was made live on television.

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Opposition lawmaker Jo Seung-lae revealed on Friday that security camera footage showed soldiers attempting to arrest opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, and PPP chief Han. Kwak Jong-geun, the head of South Korea's special forces, also confirmed on Friday that he had been ordered to "drag out" lawmakers from parliament. However, Yoon’s office denied claims that the President had ordered the arrest or detention of lawmakers, according to Yonhap.

In his address to the nation on Tuesday evening, President Yoon justified the martial law declaration, claiming it was necessary "to safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea's communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements plundering people's freedom and happiness." The announcement, which evoked memories of South Korea's autocratic past, took many by surprise, including South Korea's allies. The US government only learned of the move through television, leading to reports that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had canceled a planned visit to South Korea, where nearly 30,000 US troops are stationed.

Security forces sealed off the National Assembly, and helicopters landed on the roof as almost 300 soldiers attempted to lock down the building. However, parliamentary staffers used sofas and fire extinguishers to block the soldiers, and several MPs climbed over walls to enter, ultimately voting to overturn Yoon's declaration.

Democratic Party chief Lee said on Friday, "We cannot entrust the operation of the government to a president who threatens the lives of the sovereign people through unconstitutional and illegal actions, even for a moment."