Opposition Parties in South Korea Submit Impeachment Motion Against Acting President Choi Sang-mok

Supporters of the recently embroiled South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol were seen rallying outside the Seoul Detention Center on March 7, 2025. In a politically charged move, opposition factions in South Korea formally lodged an impeachment motion against Choi Sang-mok, who has been serving as the acting president since December, following the impeachment of both the president and the prime minister. This motion has been orchestrated by the main liberal opposition group, the Democratic Party, along with four smaller parties, citing multiple reasons for their actions. Among these allegations is Choi's supposed role in the failed implementation of martial law under President Yoon and his failure to appoint a justice to the constitutional court in a timely manner, leaving the court short of one member.

Choi had initially appointed two justices in late December but made the controversial decision to withhold the nomination of a candidate preferred by the opposition, citing the necessity of bipartisan agreement. Political commentator Zhan Debin, who directs a research center focused on the Korean Peninsula, has indicated that the opposition's push for impeachment largely stems from Choi's refusal to appoint the recommended justice, which could undermine President Yoon's position even further. Zhan also highlighted Choi's vetoing of significant investigation bills during his acting presidency, actions viewed as detrimental to any ongoing inquiries into Yoon’s conduct.

However, Zhan cautioned that initiating impeachment proceedings does not ensure they will succeed, as they are woven into the fabric of a larger political struggle. In the week ahead, South Korea may see increased political turbulence that could reshape its political landscape significantly for the foreseeable future. The impeachment motion against Choi arises just before a crucial ruling from the Constitutional Court regarding Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's impeachment, which is set for March 24, and the timeline for President Yoon's case remains uncertain.

Additionally, this political maneuvering could affect the Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, who awaits an appellate court decision on accusations of breaching the Public Official Election Act on March 26. Lee has been under scrutiny since being indicted without detention for allegedly providing misleading statements during his electoral campaign. Zhan emphasized that the urgency felt by the Democratic Party has intensified following Yoon's release from detention, placing the party in a precarious position between acting decisively and facing potential public backlash or maintaining inertia and risking alienation from their supporters. Concurrently, the ruling People Power Party is keen to mitigate the repercussions from Yoon’s martial law situation and the ongoing impeachment dramas, all of which bear weight on their public approval levels.