“Yoon Suk-Yeol appeared with the Chinese character ‘Wang’ (王), meaning ‘king’, inscribed on his palm during a live TV debate,” says Alessandro Vesprini, a researcher and analyst of South Korean politics. An event, in October 2021, that sparked widespread speculation about the current South Korean President Yoon’s alleged “monarchist ambitions”. Vesprini lives in Busan, South Korea’s second most populous city after Seoul, where it’s 10 p.m. while in Rome it’s 2 p.m.
In the country, political chaos continues. Kim Yong-hyun, a close confidant of President Yoon Suk-Yeol and former Defense Minister, attempted suicide in the detention center where he was transferred on Wednesday, December 4. He was the one who proposed the martial law declared by President Yoon Suk-Yeol during the night between December 3 and 4, which was annulled six hours later by a vote in the National Assembly. As part of the investigation, a search of the President’s office was ordered, but the local police were unable to enter due to restrictions imposed by the presidential security guards.
The President, who is under a travel ban, declared martial law necessary to restore order against “anti-state elements”, “North Korea’s communist forces” and the obstruction of political opposition. “The reasons given by Yoon for December 3 are not sufficient to justify the intervention,” Vesprini explains, “but we don’t know what truly motivated the President. However, he was most likely trying to justify his statements about electoral fraud.”
“The President’s approval ratings had already fallen drastically the week before 3 December. By mid-November, Yoon’s popularity had reached an all-time low,” says the expert. Among the political factors contributing to this decline are his controversial handling of relations with Japan, seen as too favourable to Tokyo, and his frequent use of presidential vetoes against parliamentary decisions, widely seen as an abuse of power. Protests have also erupted over reforms to the healthcare system, which led to strikes by medical staff.
Personal issues have also had a significant impact. First Lady Kim Keon-hee has been at the centre of numerous allegations, including tax fraud and financial manipulation involving the Korean distributor of BMW cars. “The Parliament has launched several motions to investigate her, but these have been limited by the immunity she enjoys as first lady” the searcher says, highlighting how this theme was addressed by the opposition. “One of the most notable events was when the first lady received a Dior handbag by a Christian pastor”, a gift worth over €2,000, which quickly became the centre of a major scandal in the country and led to widespread criticism of the presidency.
Yoon’s leadership and political survival now depend on the court’s forthcoming decision, which will express itself during the investigation. A second parliamentary vote on impeachment is expected on Saturday 14. The first parliamentary vote took place on December 7, but it ultimately failed: “Only three members of the Conservative party (the President one) were present and voted for the impeachment,” he adds “the Conservative Party seems to wait still, hoping Yoon will resign by himself but i don’t see the benefits of this”. To succeed the motion required a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, meaning at least 200 votes out of the 300 members. “The opposition held 192 seats so for the impeachment to pass votes from the Yoon’s party against their own President are needed”. If the impeachment passes in Parliament, the Constitutional Court will have to issue a ruling: “It may take up to 180 days to reach a decision, and in the meantime, the President is officially removed from office.”
The President’s future will depend on his party’s decision. As the country faces one of the most serious political challenges in recent decades, much will depend on the next moves by the governing party and the opposition, as well as the reaction of public opinion. The developments in the coming weeks will be crucial for determining the political future of the country and the stability of its democratic institutions.
