South Korean president Yoon under pressure to resign, banned from foreign trips

Yoon Suk Yeol, the president of South Korea, is under pressure from citizens and the parliament to resign from power. He has also been issued a ban by the justice ministry from travelling outside the country after a failed plan to impose Martial Law.

Using ambiguous language to describe the martial law, Yoon proclaimed the need to “protect the country from North Korean communists and eliminate anti state elements” while stating a need to “rebuild and protect the country from falling into ruin”. Sending troops to blockade the National Assembly building as midnight approached, Yoon attempted to stop parliamentarians from interfering in his plans.

He narrowly missed an impeachment against him over the weekend, after members of parliament from his ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote.

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PPP members said they had decided not to support the motion after Yoon agreed to shorten his term and not get involved in foreign and domestic affairs.

However, the opposition Democratic Party, which commands a majority in the parliament have criticised the deal, According to the BBC, the floor leader Park Chan-dae calling it “an illegal, unconstitutional second insurrection and a second coup”.

Tens of thousands of people have come out in protest since Yoon’s short-lived martial law order, calling for him to resign or be impeached.

Min Jun-shik, 43, who was taking photos of the demonstrations, told Al Jazeera about the sentiment that Yoon “doesn’t have the capabilities of a president” and wished he would “resign soon”.

“Our economy isn’t great and making a living is hard for many as it is. This has made the situation even worse. The won declined significantly, and another stain has been put on our country’s reputation,” Min said.

Read also: Bid to impeach South Korean President collapses as ruling party legislators vacate parliament

Since then, despite the failed impeachment motion, several key figures involved in the martial law order have also seen action taken against them.

Former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who reportedly proposed the martial law declaration to Yoon, was arrested on Sunday. He had earlier resigned on Wednesday after apologising and saying he would take “full responsibility”.

Travel bans have been placed on Kim, Lee, defence counterintelligence commander Yeo In-hyung, and Army Chief of Staff Park An-su, others that have stepped down include former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min who resigned on Sunday, saying he would take responsibility for “failing to serve the public and the president well”.

On Wednesday, senior aides of Yoon’s office, including his chief of staff, tendered mass resignations hours after the martial law declaration was abolished