Jo Seoung-iae, spokesperson of the Democratic Party, said a vote on Saturday would provide sufficient time for the conservative lawmakers to contemplate their decisions on what he described as an “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup”.
Prospects for Yoon’s impeachment are not clear as his People Power Party (PPP) decided on Thursday to oppose the motion’s passage.
Choo Kyung-ho, the floor leader of the PPP, told reporters that his party would hold another meeting to determine how to oppose the motion’s passage.
Observers say PPP members could simply boycott a floor vote or cast ballots against the motion. Impeaching him would require support from two-thirds of the National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members.
The opposition parties together have 192 seats and they need additional votes from the PPP.
Some experts earlier said the motion will likely be passed through parliament as 18 PPP lawmakers, who belong to an anti-Yoon faction in the party, already voted down Yoon’s martial law decree together with opposition lawmakers.
But speaking to reporters on Thursday, PPP leader Han Dong-hun, head of the anti-Yoon faction, said he would work to ensure that the impeachment motion does not pass though he remains critical of Yoon’s action, which he described as “unconstitutional”.
Han said that there is a need to “prevent damage to citizens and supporters caused by unprepared chaos”.
If the motion passes, Yoon will be suspended pending a verdict by the Constitutional Court. If the judges give the nod, Yoon will be impeached and an election must take place within 60 days.
