South Korean president's 2nd impeachment vote on edge

'What the lawmakers must protect is neither Yoon nor the ruling People Power Party but the lives of the people wailing out in the freezing streets,' leader of The Democratic Party said

- Agence France-Presse

SEOUL: South Korea's opposition leader on Friday urged ruling party lawmakers to side with the "people" and impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed martial law bid, a day before a second parliamentary vote that appears on a knife edge.

A week after a first attempt to remove Yoon for the martial law debacle foundered, the country's National Assembly will vote on Saturday around 4 pm (0700 GMT) on whether to impeach the president for "insurrectionary acts undermining the constitutional order".

Two hundred votes are needed for the measure to pass, meaning opposition lawmakers must convince eight ruling People Power Party (PPP) colleagues to defect.

As of noon Friday, seven ruling party lawmakers had pledged to support impeachment -- leaving the vote up in the air.

On Friday, the leader of the Democratic Party, Lee Jaemyung, implored them to support the president's removal from office.