President Yoon Suk Yeol declared he would "fight to the end" on Thursday as political turmoil deepened over his controversial martial law declaration and allegations of election interference. The crisis has left the ruling People Power Party (PPP) sharply divided, with an impeachment vote looming in parliament this weekend.
In a defiant televised address, Yoon accused the opposition Democratic Party of attempting to "drag a democratically elected president from power" and described their efforts as a "sword dance of madness." His remarks come nine days after he abruptly rescinded a martial law order that had briefly granted sweeping powers to the military, sparking South Korea's worst political crisis in decades.
"I will face all investigations and impeachment proceedings squarely," Yoon said, rejecting calls to step down.
Despite Yoon’s firm stance, divisions within the PPP are widening. Han Dong-hoon, the PPP leader, urged party members to support impeachment, calling Yoon's martial law justification "akin to confessing to insurrection."
At least seven PPP lawmakers have publicly endorsed impeachment, with YTN television reporting that one more would be enough to secure the two-thirds parliamentary majority required to move forward. However, Yoon still enjoys substantial backing within his party, evidenced by the election of Kweon Seong-dong, a pro-Yoon lawmaker, as the PPP’s new assembly leader.
If impeachment proceeds, the case will be referred to the Constitutional Court, potentially plunging South Korea into political limbo for six months.
Yoon is also under criminal investigation for alleged insurrection over his December 3 martial law declaration. He defended the move as "symbolic," aimed at exposing an alleged opposition plot to destabilize the government and undermine South Korea’s alliance with the United States.
Opposition leaders dismissed his claims as baseless. Kim Min-seok of the Democratic Party criticized Yoon’s address as a "display of extreme delusion" and called on PPP lawmakers to support impeachment.
In his speech, Yoon also alleged that North Korea hacked South Korea’s National Election Commission (NEC) last year, compromising the integrity of the April 2024 election, which saw his party suffer a crushing defeat. He claimed the hack prompted his martial law declaration, although no evidence was provided.
The NEC denied the allegations, stating it had addressed cybersecurity vulnerabilities in consultation with intelligence officials and asserting that election manipulation was "effectively impossible."
Footage from the day of the martial law order showed troops entering the NEC’s computer server room, raising further questions about Yoon's actions.
The upcoming impeachment vote will test Yoon’s remaining support within his party. While the opposition holds an overwhelming majority in parliament, they require at least eight PPP members to secure the president’s ouster.
As the crisis unfolds, South Korea faces prolonged uncertainty, with its political stability and democratic institutions under unprecedented strain.