The National Council of Churches of Korea – the nine member Protestant ecumenical federation that includes the Anglican Church of Korea – has called for the resignation or impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Late in the night of 3 December 2024 President Yoon declared martial law, the first imposition of martial law in South Korea in forty years. However, the 300-member National Assembly, the country’s unicameral legislature, reversed the declaration six hours later.
The aborted declaration has led to massive street protests and resignations by the country’s Defense Minister and the leader of Yoon’s PPP party. On 14 December 2024 eight members of the conservative PPP voted with the left-wing Democratic Party of Korea giving the two-thirds margin necessary to pass an impeachment bill.
The impeachment proceedings now pass to the country’s Constitutional Court, which will hold a first hearing on 27 December 2024.
The Roman Catholic Bishops Conference and the Protestant National Council of Churches in Korea backed the vote to impeach President Yoon. The president has come under harsh domestic criticism for his moves to foster better relations with Japan and has had to govern without a majority in parliament.
NCCK secretary general Kim Jong-san on 9 Dec 2024 released a statement on behalf of the member churches calling the martial law declaration unconstitutional. “It is clear that the way to subdue the anger of the people is for the immediate impeachment” of President Yoon, he wrote.
The NCCK will “pray for the National Assembly to act upon the impeachment bill as soon as possible to restore” the rule of law.
