What is going on in South Korea and what does it mean for the region and US foreign policy? All your questions answered, this Friday! With James Park, @nslavney.bsky.social, and Nathan Park. quincyinst.org/events/the-a...

Update: Joint investigation team fails to deliver summons to Yoon Suk Yeol after being turned away at both presidential office and residence. Presidential security refused to accept documents, citing lack of jurisdiction. Team says express mail delivery sent as backup.

Separate investigation unit - consisting of police, anti-corruption office and military investigators - to send own summons to Yoon Suk Yeol today, requesting Dec 18 (Wed) questioning. He is accused of insurrection and abuse of power. Parallel to prosecutors' probe.

Seeing some takes that South Korea’s victory today is thanks to defections within the ruling party. Of course there is some truth to this—but it should not be the main lesson. Without the public pressure for accountability, would they have showed up + voted their conscience?

Protesters erupted into cheers the moment the impeachment vote passed:

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says he will “never give up” and called for officials to maintain government stability during what he described as a “temporary” pause of his presidency. www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdzL...

Details of the impeachment bill: 1/ The second bill to impeach President Yoon will be voted on soon. Filed by 6 opposition parties, it accuses him of violating constitutional principles through his actions on the night of Dec 3, 2024. Key allegations: www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR2024...

BREAKING: The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a two-year prison sentence against minor Rebuilding Korea Party chief Cho Kuk on charges of fabricating official documents and interfering in a state audit of a Busan city official.

Investigations into Yoon's alleged corruption & mishandling of domestic issues are underway, placing pressure on his administration. The fallout may redefine South Korea's political landscape for years to come. More on this from @kaitlynking.bsky.social & I here: www.stimson.org/2024/implica...

Insane, if true: "The HID unit were not dressed in the ROK military uniform. Instead, they were given a false North Korean uniform. The plan was to have the HID unit either assassinate Lee and others, and if that failed, have the 'rescuing' South Korean soldiers to kill both Lee and the HID unit."

Ope 👀

As we begin another day of political uncertainty in Seoul, - It's still unclear who is running what in the country - No details about any power sharing arrangement that allegedly exists - We don't know the legal rationale for any such deal - The presidential office has essentially gone dark

1/ Breaking: South Korea's prime minister Han Duck-soo and ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon announce President Yoon will cease involvement in state affairs, call for his "orderly early resignation" following failed martial law attempt. www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR2024...

The conservative ruling party chief said late last night: "Yoon will be effectively stripped of his duties until he retreats, and the prime minister will take care of state affairs in consultation with the party." Yoon also hinted at this in his Saturday speech.

Talked to some protesters at length-- they told me they came out expecting impeachment to fail but that it was important to come out anyways and put pressure on the legislature. "See you next weekend, you bastards," one said.

BREAKING: South Korea’s president avoids impeachment after martial law misstep www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/1...

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol spoke publicly for the first time since the martial law debacle. His statement was short and defiant. He said he won’t evade repercussions, signaled he won’t leave the party or resign (things party members asked him to do so he won’t be impeached). Full text:

It's been quite the week! Check out this 🧵 for more @38north.org & @stimsonkorea.bsky.social staff coverage of what's been happening in South Korea:

1/ Lawmakers are expected to vote tomorrow on the motion to impeach President Yoon. While passage looks likely unless Yoon steps down before, attention now turns to the Constitutional Court process that would follow: www.theguardian.com/world/2024/d...

"The incident fits a pattern under Yoon, a former prosecutor general, whose administration is pursuing criminal charges against critical journalists and media outlets at a record pace."

23. the commander of the Special Warfare Command is conducting a YouTube live interview NOW. He has acknowledged Yoon's active role in deploying the military and stated that, even if Yoon attempts to mobilize the military again, the Special Warfare Command will not follow those orders.

At this rate, the opposition could be pushing for impeachment bill vote today (Dec 6 local Korea time). It doesn’t make sense to wait till Dec 7.

A big question as Yoon's impeachment looms: Who are the front runners from the PPP and DP? Lee Jae-myung is currently appealing an indictment for 2022 election meddling. If that appeal fails, he will be banned from running in 2027, which I assume would apply to a snap election if Yoon is impeached?

Kim Ou-joon had an extremely popular podcast on TBS--he was one of the first victims of the Yoon admin's retaliatory anti-defamation cases when the show's funding was cut. www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=...

Just one minute after Yoon finished his televised declaration of martial law, his troops' first destination was the National Election Commission in Gwacheon. (30 minutes from Seoul) Questions persist regarding why Yoon/Kim chose to seize this election commission office before the National Assembly.

The South Korean parliament is not going to let the presidential office relocation off the hook: Nat'l Assembly passes impeachment motions against chief auditor, prosecutors. en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2024...

Excellent assessment of how Yoon’s use of martial law—for whatever ill-conceived reason—was substantively illegal by Cho Hee-kyung : m.koreatimes.co.kr/pages/articl...

National Office of Investigation Chief Woo Jong-soo has ordered a travel ban on former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun amid claims he was attempting to flee country. Opposition lawmakers are suggesting Kim is a key witness and participant in what they're characterising as an insurrection.

What's next for South Korea? Understanding the impeachment process. ⬇️ ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Support for impeachment was consistent nationwide and across age groups, with 18-29-year-olds showing the highest approval (86.8%). Conservatives were divided, with 50.4% supporting impeachment, 48.0% opposing. Among progressives, support was overwhelming (94.6%).

There’s really no coming back from this. He can’t rebuild trust with the South Korean public - and his own party leadership - after this. Protests are already calling for him to resign. I’m sure calls for impeachment will resume in force as well. It seems a matter of time now.

My main takeaway, pub'd in AP: “It remains to be seen what the political fallout of this brief emergency martial law will be—both domestically and internationally. But South Korea has a robust history of political pluralism and is no stranger to mass protests and swift impeachments." bit.ly/3B0ObFz

Says will comply with Natl Assembly. But because he can’t hold the cabinet meeting because of lack of votes (they can’t be there to vote at 4 am, I think) he’ll lift in the morning.

Per ROK Dem Party sources Yoon and the military put together a special unit to arrest Lee Jae-myung (DP leader), Han Dong-hoon (PPP leader), and Woo Won-shik (Natl Assembly speaker) without any warrant. Yoon is politically done and over if this is true.

South Korean citizens helped lawmakers scale the National Assembly walls so they could bypass military barricades and vote against martial law.

We are deeply concerned by President Yoon’s declaration of martial law in South Korea, which has already sparked widespread condemnation by the political opposition, leaders of Yoon’s own party, & South Korean civil society. Yoon's declaration today without a real emergency is antidemocratic. (1/2)

Difficult to see how any of this ends well for Yoon. Not just domestically, but this could have a hit on South Korea's international image and standing.

and yes the crowd is calling for impeachment. the crowd was calling for it even when I emerged from the subway station.

And just like that...So it begs the question: what was the point? What was Yoon thinking--or hoping--the outcome would be?

While Yoon previously vowed to fight corruption and improve transparency, his presidency has been marred by abuses of power. Imposing martial law is a serious backslide of democracy in South Korea and follows a trend of a worrying chilling effect in the media since he entered office in 2022.

Not an expert in the Korean Peninsula but generally when someone is declaring emergency martial law something bad is happening.

🗓️NEXT WEEK: With the outcome of the US presidential elections, looking at the status and future of the US-ROK alliance is more important than ever. Stimson's Korea Program will be hosting a series of events in Denver, ABQ, and Santa Fe, check here for more info on each: bit.ly/40J4JMn

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