The opposition and even key members of his own party have called for him to step down, and parliament is set to vote later Saturday on his impeachment, although the opposition leader has told AFP it is not clear the motion can pass.
Police have said they expect tens of thousands of anti-Yoon protestors to take to the streets ahead of the vote, with organisers hoping 200,000 people will attend.
Yoon did not offer to resign in his brief address, saying only that he would “entrust the party with measures to stabilise the political situation, including my term in office”.
His party is divided on the issue, with lawmakers late Friday sticking to the official line that they would block impeachment, even after party head Han Dong-hoon said Yoon must go or Seoul risked more political chaos.
“The normal performance of the president’s duties is impossible under the (current) circumstances, and an early resignation of the president is inevitable,” Han Dong-hoon told reporters early Saturday.
The opposition bloc holds 192 seats in the 300-strong parliament, while Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) has 108.
Just eight ruling party lawmakers need to defect for the vote to get the two-thirds majority it needs to pass. One PPP lawmaker has already publicly said they will vote with the opposition.
A successful vote would suspend Yoon from office pending a ruling by the Constitutional Court.
Police have begun investigating Yoon and others for alleged insurrection.
“I will not shy away from the issue of legal and political responsibility regarding the declaration of martial law,” Yoon said during his address.
Source: CNA
