S. Korea's Parliament Approves Law Calling for President's Arrest

South Korea’s parliament has passed a bill that calls for the arrest of President Yoon Suk-yeol and seven other officials.

The bill was introduced following the President's declaration of martial law on December 3, which has sparked political unrest and controversy within the country.

According to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, the bill urges the immediate arrest of President Yoon and seven other key officials, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min.

While the resolution passed by parliament will undergo review by the judiciary committee and be debated in a general session, it is important to note that the bill does not have any legal binding effects.

The motion was approved by 191 lawmakers, with 94 voting against and 3 abstaining. This proposal comes after the opposition’s failure to pass a separate impeachment bill aimed at removing President Yoon from office.

Opposition parties have expressed outrage over the President's martial law decree, which they view as an overreach of executive power.

The law was implemented in an effort to combat what the President described as "pro-North Korean forces" and to protect the country’s constitutional freedoms. During his announcement, Yoon accused the opposition of engaging in anti-state activities.

In response to the martial law declaration, the National Assembly held an emergency session, during which members voted to annul the measure. Following the vote, the Speaker of the Assembly issued a statement declaring the martial law null and void. 

This crisis has also led to a significant pause in ongoing budget discussions in the legislature.

Democratic Party leader Han Dong-hon proposed a new legislative initiative to appoint a special investigator to probe whether President Yoon violated the law or engaged in rebellion during the imposition of martial law. 

Han’s remarks were made during a closed-door meeting with party legislators in the National Assembly, according to Yonhap News.

Meanwhile, the South Korean Ministry of Justice issued an order banning President Yoon from traveling abroad, further escalating tensions between the executive branch and the opposition.

As political turmoil continues, the Democratic Party is pushing for its version of the national budget, which has been revised to 677.4 trillion won, a reduction of 4 trillion won ($2.9 billion) from the government’s original proposal.

Park Chan-dae, a Democratic Party lawmaker, stated that if the government requires additional funds to address public welfare, the issue can be resolved through an additional budget in the future.