The leader of South Korea’s ruling People Power Party (PPP), Han Dong-hoon, announced his resignation on Monday following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

“I step down as party leader,” Han said during a televised press conference. He cited the collapse of the party’s Supreme Council as the reason for his departure. Addressing citizens, he stated, “Martial law in South Korea in 2024—how angry and disappointed you must be.” Han offered a formal apology to those affected by the incident.

Initially urging Yoon to resign “orderly,” Han shifted his stance last Thursday, backing the president’s impeachment. Although Han initially resisted stepping down, mounting pressure from PPP Supreme Council members, who threatened to quit, led to his decision.

Han’s resignation coincides with the South Korean Constitutional Court beginning proceedings to determine Yoon’s fate. The court has six months to decide whether to uphold the impeachment. If Yoon is removed, fresh elections must take place within two months. For now, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is serving as interim leader.

Han bowed before the cameras, offering an apology to the public.

Yoon was impeached after his controversial martial law declaration on December 3, which briefly suspended civilian rule and plunged the country into its worst political crisis in years. Yoon faces a travel ban while under investigation for alleged insurrection. Prosecutors reported on Sunday that Yoon refused to comply with their initial summons for questioning and vowed to issue a second one.

Massive protests against Yoon, alongside smaller pro-Yoon rallies, have gripped Seoul since the martial law decree. Demonstrators on both sides continue to pressure authorities as the court deliberates.

In related developments, police arrested the current and former heads of the Defence Intelligence Command on Sunday over their alleged roles in the incident. Prosecutors are also seeking an arrest warrant for Army Special Warfare Command chief Kwak Jong-keun, accused of deploying special forces to parliament—sparking a dramatic standoff between troops and parliamentary staff.

The political turmoil in South Korea shows no signs of easing as investigations and court proceedings continue.