South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol accepted Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun’s resignation on Thursday. Kim stepped down following his involvement in Yoon’s controversial martial law declaration earlier this week. The resignation came after Kim reportedly recommended the martial law, which led to significant political turmoil.
Yoon quickly nominated Choi Byung-hyuk, South Korea’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, as the new Defence Minister. Yoon’s chief of staff, Chung Jin-suk, praised Choi as a principled and dedicated leader. This nomination marks the president’s first official action after withdrawing the martial law declaration early Wednesday, which was met with intense criticism.
On Thursday, South Korea’s parliament introduced a motion to impeach Yoon over the failed martial law attempt. The main opposition party, the Democratic Party, called Yoon’s actions “treasonous” and plans to push the impeachment vote forward. However, Yoon’s party is determined to block the move, making the outcome uncertain.
The martial law declaration also shocked US officials, with Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell labeling it a “badly misjudged” decision. The incident has further deepened political instability in South Korea, raising questions about Yoon’s leadership and the future of his administration.
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