South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has accepted the resignation of his Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun amid growing criticism over the leader’s short-lived declaration of martial law.
The defense ministry said South Korea’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia Choi Byung-hyuk has been nominated as the new minister.
Kim had submitted his resignation on Wednesday, just moments after South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party said it had filed a motion to impeach him.
The chief of the president’s own People Power Party had also called for the removal of the defense minister for recommending martial law.
Earlier, Kim accepted responsibility for ordering troops to enact martial law, saying in a text message sent to reporters: “All soldiers who performed their duties in relation to the emergency martial law (were acting on) the order of the minister, and all responsibilities lie within myself.”
In the same text, Kim said he felt sorry for “causing concerns and confusion to the people.”
President Yoon is also facing growing calls to step down after he declared – then retracted – the martial law decree.
Six opposition parties on Wednesday submitted a bill calling for Yoon’s impeachment. The motion is expected to be voted on by lawmakers on either Friday at midnight or Saturday at midnight.
The main opposition Democratic Party said it has begun formalizing plans for a treason charge against the president.
When Yoon declared martial law in a surprise late-night address on Tuesday, he accused the main opposition party of sympathizing with North Korea and of anti-state activities, citing a motion by the opposition to impeach top prosecutors and reject a government budget proposal.
Lawmakers rejected Yoon’s decree just hours after he announced it, with 190 of the 300 members of parliament voting to overturn the measure.
Yoon then backtracked on his short-lived decree in the early hours of Wednesday local time and withdrew the troops deployed to carry out the order.
This is a breaking news story. More to come.