[Exclusive] Cho Kyung-tae, shifts to 'Oppose Impeachment'... Increased possibility of impeachment bill rejection

Vote at the National Assembly plenary session on the 5th

Cho Kyung-tae, a six-term lawmaker of the People Power Party, who had publicly expressed support for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, reportedly shifted his stance during a closed-door party meeting on the morning of the 7th. This is interpreted as a response to President Yoon's acceptance of stepping back and entrusting state affairs to the party, including the issue of his term. With Cho, one of the senior members who had mentioned the possibility of public support for impeachment along with Ahn Cheol-soo, turning against impeachment, the likelihood of the impeachment passing is assessed to be lower than the previous day.

According to People Power Party officials on the 7th, Cho reportedly stated during the meeting that he would not insist on supporting impeachment. This follows President Yoon's public apology and measures such as entrusting state affairs to the party. Besides Cho, other lawmakers are also said to have agreed to induce an 'orderly retreat' through follow-up measures like 'constitutional amendment for term reduction' instead of impeachment.

The previous day, Party Leader Han Dong-hoon had hinted at supporting impeachment by stating that "the president's duties should be promptly suspended," but during the same day's meeting, the majority opinion was that impeachment was premature. However, Cho had been the first in the party to publicly support the necessity of impeachment. With Cho now also agreeing to block the impeachment, the possibility of it passing is considered significantly lower.

The requirement for impeachment to pass is 'approval from at least two-thirds of the total lawmakers.' Currently, with 300 lawmakers, 200 approvals are needed. Even if all 192 seats of the opposition attend and vote in favor, 8 dissenting votes from the ruling party are needed. However, as most pro-Han (Han Dong-hoon) lawmakers publicly expressed that "impeachment is premature" the previous day, it is analyzed that garnering 8 votes would not be easy.

In the plenary session on this day, along with the impeachment vote of President Yoon, a re-vote on the 'Kim Keon-hee Special Prosecutor Act' will also take place.

Reporters Jung So-ram and Park Joo-yeon ram@hankyung.com