A Sidelined Sitting President: South Korea's Leader Won't Run the Country
Source: Wall Street Journal (gift link)
SEOULSouth Koreas embattled president will no longer be involved in running the country or diplomacy, according to the ruling partys leader, who argued the move was made to stabilize state affairs after Yoon Suk Yeol briefly instituted martial law this past week.
Yoon, who just staved off impeachment after his partys lawmakers boycotted the vote, agreed to the arrangement, said Han Dong-hoon, the head of the conservative People Power Party, in a Sunday morning address. The party, Han added, would seek an orderly early retreat for Yoon, whom roughly three-quarters of South Koreans want to see gone.
Before Yoon steps aside, Han said, the president will not be involved in governance, including foreign affairs. He called Yoon unfit to lead after the martial-law order.
In the interim, the partyin coordination with Prime Minister Han Duck-soowould handle livelihood issues and state affairs, Han Dong-hoon said. He didnt offer concrete details on how or when Yoon would be removed or other steps. South Koreas main government ministries on Sunday didnt offer clarity on who was ultimately in charge.
Read more: https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/south-koreas-former-defense-minister-detained-over-martial-law-involvement-cb96e750?st=VcFivu&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
yankee87
(2,384 posts)Just like here in the USA the party caved and fell in line to a wannabe dictator when the rubber hit the road. I'm very glad for what finally happened, but he instituted martial law and still couldn't be impeached.
The world is severely short of people who put country over party.
PSPS
(14,194 posts)Or so it seems with all the media being 24-hour non-stop trump now and his appointing almost his entire cabinet the first week after the election.
muriel_volestrangler
(102,693 posts)Rather than resigning at once, which apparently forces an election for president within 60 days, his party are trying to get his powers to exercise themselves - without the proper mandate or accountability.
Good to see the opposition call this illegal, and say they're going to got foe impeachment votes every week.