Plenary assembly waits for more PPP members to cast vote on impeachment motion

[Anchor]

Today (Dec. 7), there was a constant atmosphere of tension in the National Assembly's main chamber.

Before the vote on the impeachment motion, members of the People Power Party exited en masse, and some members returned, quickly changing the outlook on the possibility of the impeachment motion passing by the moment.

From the start of the session to the situation now, reporter Choi Kwang-ho gives us a recap.

[Report]

The main session began in a tense atmosphere.

As Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae took the podium to explain the request for reconsideration of the special counsel investigation bill regarding First Lady Kim Keon-hee, loud shouts erupted.

[“Accomplice to treason! Traitor...”]

Even after Minister Park returned to his seat, and during the voting on the first agenda item, the tension in the main chamber remained palpable.

As the members of the People Power Party finished voting and exited the chamber all at once, loud shouts erupted from various corners.

[“Protecting Yoon Suk Yeol, protecting Kim Keon-hee, is that what's important? Shouldn't you protect democracy and the Republic of Korea as members of the National Assembly?”]

The request for reconsideration of the special counsel investigation bill regarding First Lady Kim was rejected.

[Woo Won-shik/Chairman of the National Assembly: “I declare that it has been dismissed.”]

Following this, Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae began explaining the proposal for the impeachment motion against President Yoon, calling out the names of the People Power Party members one by one to urge their participation in the vote.

[“Lawmaker Kang Seung-kyu (Kang Seung-kyu!), Lawmaker Ko Dong-jin (Ko Dong-jin!)”]

Voting was not closed even after Ahn Cheol-soo, the only remaining People Power Party member, and the opposition members finished voting.

Rumors circulated that some members of the People Power Party might return, and when members Kim Ye-ji and Kim Sang-wook actually returned to the chamber, cheers erupted.

However, the number of People Power Party members participating in the vote did not increase, and Chairman Woo Won-shik repeatedly urged the People Power Party to participate in the vote.

[Woo Won-shik/Chairman of the National Assembly: “Should we really see the falling apart of voting according to one's own conscience that is not in accordance with party line?”]

This impeachment motion will be automatically dismissed if it is not processed by 00:48 AM tomorrow (Dec. 8), which is 72 hours after the bill's submission to the main session.

KBS News, Choi Kwang-ho.