On Friday, the largest opposition party in South Korea submitted a second motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, with the parliament set to vote on Yoon’s ouster on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. (0800 GMT), the Yonhap news agency reported.

A week ago, their first motion failed after members of Mr Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the proceedings, leaving it without a quorum.

However, the chances that the National Assembly will get rid of the unpopular Mr Yoon are greater now.

There are 300 members of parliament.

The opposition has 192 seats but needs eight other votes, as two-thirds or 200 legislators must vote to impeach Mr Yoon to kick him out of office.

Seven parliamentarians from the PPP ruling party have publicly announced their intention to support the motion.

PPP’s chairman, Han Dong Hoon, also openly declared his support for the proposal on Thursday, but he had changed his mind before.

The turmoil stems from Mr Yoon’s unexpected declaration of martial law on December 3, which he lifted six hours later following massive protests.

On Thursday, Mr Yoon defended his decision during an impromptu televised address, saying he made the move to protect the nation from “anti-state forces” – meaning his political opponents.

These people, Mr Yoon maintained, would paralyse the government and disrupt the country’s constitutional order.

(dpa/NAN)