The Korea Herald

지나쌤

7 in 10 Koreans want Yoon Suk Yeol impeached: survey

By Choi Jae-hee

Published : Dec. 5, 2024 - 13:52

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People watch a TV screen broadcasting a news report on South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 4 (Yonhap) People watch a TV screen broadcasting a news report on South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 4 (Yonhap)

More than 70 percent of South Koreans want President Yook Suk Yeol removed from office over the martial law fiasco, a survey showed Thursday.

According to the poll conducted by Realmeter and commissioned by a local news outlet, 73.6 percent of 504 Koreans aged 18 and older nationwide supported the president's impeachment, while 24 percent opposed the idea, and 2.4 percent said they were unsure.

Yoon, in a move that plunged the nation into turmoil, declared emergency martial law late Tuesday night, only to revoke it the next morning after the parliament struck it down in a unanimous vote. Six opposition parties have since formed a united front to impeach him. A parliamentary vote on his impeachment is to take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

The survey showed support for Yoon’s ouster was most pronounced among respondents aged 18–29 at 86.8 percent, followed by those in their 40s, with 85.3 percent favoring the move.

By region, the percentage of supporters was highest in Gwangju and the Jeolla provinces at 79.3 percent. Incheon and Gyeonggi Province came next with 77.3 percent, followed by Daejeon, the Chungcheong provinces and Sejong with 74 percent.

Even Daegu and North Gyeongsang -- areas known as conservative strongholds -- recorded 66.2 percent support.

Meanwhile, the main opposition party is also pursuing charges of treason against Yoon.

When asked whether Yoon's military action constituted treason, 70 percent of respondents agreed that it did, while 25 percent disagreed.

The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.