Seoul: The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) has put forth a motion to impeach Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, following the president's brief and unsuccessful imposition of martial law, which lawmakers blocked. According to Yonhap News Agency, the DP submitted the impeachment motion to the National Assembly's bills office at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday. The party intends to present the motion to a parliamentary plenary session on Thursday, alongside an impeachment motion for President Yoon Suk Yeol introduced earlier in the day, with plans to bring both motions to a vote on Friday or Saturday. Per legislative requirements, an impeachment motion must be voted on between 24 and 72 hours after being reported to a plenary session. The DP has also announced plans to file charges of treason against Yoon, Kim, and Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, pushing for their impeachment in response to the martial law incident. Following the DP's proposal, the defense ministry announced that Kim had offered his resignation, a ccepting "full responsibility" for the situation and issuing an apology to the public. The political maneuvers ensued after President Yoon declared emergency martial law in an unexpected late-night announcement on Tuesday, which he rescinded hours later after the opposition-controlled Assembly voted against it. Kim was reportedly the one who suggested the martial law declaration to the president.
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September 20, 2026