Journalists and party members gathered at the National Assembly in Seoul have opened up a channel to the chamber in an attempt to encourage more members from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) to return and vote on the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol.The impeachment vote, which has been kept open, will remain accessible until 00:48 (15:48 GMT), marking exactly 72 hours since the motion was initially introduced.As per the reports of Leaders of Asia, three PPP members have returned to the chamber, but the opposition requires at least eight PPP votes for the impeachment to succeed. Despite the return of some members, such as Cho Kyung-tae—one of the first PPP MPs to support the motion—many members of his party have walked out, signaling their opposition to the vote.Cho explained his change of stance, noting that he initially supported the impeachment due to a lack of response from the president’s office regarding martial law. However, he added that an apology from the president, alongside PPP party leader Han Dong-hoon’s decision not to support the motion, influenced his decision to leave the chamber. Cho also expressed concerns that impeachment could trigger an early presidential election, potentially paving the way for opposition dominance.According to the Leaders of Asia, opposition MP Joon Hyung Kim reiterated that his party would continue pushing for a vote until they succeed, with weekly attempts planned if necessary. He urged PPP members to “listen to the people,” while rallying support outside the National Assembly.The mood outside the assembly shifted dramatically as a protest rally turned into a lively celebration. Applause broke out when more PPP members returned to the chamber, signaling a glimmer of hope for impeachment supporters. The crowd, energized by the return of Kim Sang-wook, erupted into cheers and chants, transforming the protest into a pop concert with music and light displays.Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers continued casting their votes in support of impeachment, and Speaker Woo Won-shik of the Democratic Party addressed the PPP members who had walked out, urging them to return and fulfill their duty to protect democracy.Despite the efforts, the protest rally’s mood grew tense as the vote neared its conclusion. With only a few ruling party members remaining in the chamber, there were growing fears the vote would fail due to a lack of quorum. As the clock ticked closer to the final voting deadline, the temperature outside dropped, and some protestors began to leave, though many remained determined.Among them was Choi Eun-chong, 43, who expressed frustration over the state of democracy, saying, “The freedom of democracy is crumbling because of just one man.” Yet, he remained hopeful, adding, “We will try impeachment again.”Meanwhile, Park Ga-ram, a freelance writer who traveled from Daegu to participate in the rally, expressed disappointment at the lack of action but maintained hope for future attempts. “I am very disappointed. I was hoping for a good result, but I am still trying to stay hopeful,” she said.At the assembly, the ruling party’s boycott strategy appeared to have stifled the opposition’s momentum, leaving just a handful of PPP members still present. Kim Ye-ji, one of the last PPP members in the chamber, voted on the impeachment motion, but with the overwhelming majority of her party members absent, the motion faced a tough battle.The motion requires 200 votes to pass, but with fewer than two-thirds of MPs present, the opposition is unlikely to secure the necessary majority. If the vote fails, the next opportunity for an impeachment vote will be next Wednesday, December 11.
