Yoon’s approval rating has hit a record low of 11 per cent following his martial law debacle, with thousands of protesters marching on the capital.
Still, compared to Park, Yoon’s public ratings are higher, and he has more support from his own party – more than half the lawmakers in Park’s party abandoned her.
In the event Yoon survives the motion with enough justices voting in his favour, he will be reinstated to office and can serve out the rest of his five-year term.
However, many – both among the public and in parliament – will consider the move to be against the people’s wishes, said experts. The opposition will likely begin yet another impeachment process.
“The political and legal consequences of Yoon’s martial law declaration are simply too large. I don’t think anyone in the legal field would be able to defend it completely for Yoon,” said Hong Ji Yeon, a Korean studies professor at the University of Michigan.
“Given Yoon’s defiant attitude, it’s unlikely that this limbo will be resolved within a few months. We will see more turbulence in the National Assembly and in South Korea politics for a while.”
