South Korea's ruling party announced on Wednesday that it will oppose the opposition's move to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his controversial martial law declaration, local media reported.
The crucial decision was made at a meeting of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers, who endorsed the party's position of opposing President Yoon's impeachment, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.
Earlier, Yoon met with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and other PPP leaders on Wednesday to discuss future strategy after opposition parties filed an impeachment motion in response to the brief martial law declaration late Tuesday evening.
The motion must receive a two-thirds majority in parliament to be approved. The opposition will need eight votes from ruling party lawmakers out of 300 in the National Assembly to pass the bill.
In a late-night live televised address on Tuesday, Yoon declared martial law but was forced to lift it just hours later after lawmakers unanimously voted to block the order amid nationwide protests.