The release of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has intensified the final battle for public opinion between the country’s ruling and opposition parties. The People Power Party (PPP) is accusing the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) of conducting an illegal investigation and is pressuring the Constitutional Court to dismiss the impeachment trial. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) strongly opposes this stance, arguing that the decision to release Yoon and the impeachment process are unrelated. The DPK has also raised the possibility of impeaching Prosecutor General Shim Woo Jung for abandoning an immediate appeal.
Both parties are mobilizing their supporters in what appears to be a last-minute effort to influence the upcoming impeachment ruling. Critics argue that these political maneuvers only deepen societal divisions and potentially incite public dissent.
On Monday, PPP lawmaker Na Kyung Won held a press conference at the National Assembly, stating, “The Constitutional Court must dismiss the impeachment trial due to serious flaws.” She continued, “There is no evidence to support the charge of treason other than threats and contaminated evidence. As revealed, this evidence is completely unreliable, so the case should be dismissed.”
The PPP has also raised concerns about the CIO’s investigative powers, claiming that reopening the trial is inevitable. On the same day, PPP floor leader Kwon Seong Dong called for reopening the impeachment trial, stating, “The Constitutional Court has not adhered to proper legal procedures in this case, and a resumption of the trial is necessary.”
In a move that further escalates tensions, the PPP has initiated legal proceedings against Oh Dong Woon, the head of the CIO.
On the other side, the DPK has harshly criticized the prosecution for not pursuing an immediate appeal, accusing them of being “co-conspirators in treason.” DPK leader Lee Jae Myung stated, “This demonstrates that they are among the key accomplices in this treasonous act,” adding, “It raises suspicions that this was not accidental, but part of a deliberate plan.”
The DPK has announced plans to continue its overnight sit-in protests at the Constitutional Court until Yoon’s impeachment is finalized. In addition, the party is preparing for public rallies and is considering both filing charges and seeking impeachment against Prosecutor General Shim Woo Jung.
The Constitutional Court’s ruling on Yoon’s impeachment is expected to be handed down as early as this week. The ruling and opposition parties are ramping up efforts to sway public opinion. Each side is working to rally its respective supporters and apply pressure on the court.
This approach has sparked widespread criticism, with many accusing the political factions of encouraging defiance against the eventual ruling. As societal divisions deepen ahead of the decision, there are growing concerns that the situation could escalate into internal conflict once the verdict is made.
On Sunday, People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol Soo posted on Facebook, urging Yoon and Democratic Party leader Lee Jae Myung to accept the court’s decision publicly. He warned, “We must prevent a civil war and national emergency at all costs.”