South Korean president, ruling party leader meet ahead of impeachment motion vote

SEOUL - South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol met with the ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon Friday, local media reported, ahead of a parliamentary impeachment vote scheduled Saturday.

Han said he held talks with Yoon but heard nothing that could change his stance that calls for the swift suspension of Yoon's presidential powers, according to Yonhap news agency.

The meeting at the presidential residence was requested by Yoon, which was attended by Chung Jin-suk, Yoon's chief of staff, and People Power Party lawmaker Joo Jin-woo, the report said.

Earlier in the day, Han demanded that Yoon be suspended from his post immediately, revealing the president had ordered the arrest of major political leaders on the night of martial law.

Opposition parties, which control 192 seats in the National Assembly, planned to hold a parliamentary vote on Yoon's impeachment at around 7 pm local time Saturday.

A motion to impeach the president requires a two-thirds vote in the 300-member parliament, meaning at least eight votes from the ruling party are needed to pass it.