Chinese official media claim that the impeachment case of Yoon Suk-yeol will be passed, criticized for interfering in internal affairs

Recently, Chinese state media predicted a higher possibility of the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol. In response to this assertion, public opinion in South Korea has criticized the Chinese Communist Party for “interfering in domestic affairs.”

According to an article in the English version of the Chinese state media, “Global Times,” on March 8th, it cited views from North Korea experts within the Chinese government suggesting a higher likelihood of the South Korean Constitutional Court passing the impeachment case.

The report quoted Lü Chao, a specialist on the Korean Peninsula issue at Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, stating that Yoon Suk-Yeol’s recent release implies that “the court has approved Yoon Suk-Yeol to stand trial without detention, and his ultimate fate will be determined by the Constitutional Court’s decision.” He also mentioned that there is a high probability of the Constitutional Court passing the impeachment case, as multiple public opinion polls indicate that the number of supporters for impeachment exceeds the opponents.

Xiang Haoyu, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Studies, also mentioned in the report that Yoon Suk-Yeol’s release is more of a technical issue and may not necessarily affect the Constitutional Court’s judgment process on the impeachment case.

These statements have sparked strong reactions in South Korean public opinion, with citizens criticizing China for actions that go beyond diplomatic boundaries and directly intervene in South Korea’s internal affairs.

Former South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn, in an interview with South Korean media “Today Asia,” stated: “Chinese state media discussing the possibility of President Yoon’s impeachment can be seen as interference in internal affairs. China should not intervene in the political crises of other countries.”

Jin Seung-Hoe, the multicultural affairs secretary at the former president’s office, also commented: “China’s involvement in President Yoon’s impeachment clearly exposes the political intentions of the Communist Party of China.”

He further remarked: “While Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Dai Bing once stated that Chinese people should not participate in South Korean politics, the presence of many Chinese individuals being encouraged at the impeachment support rallies is a clear illustration of how much China desires President Yoon’s impeachment.”

South Korean public opinion has raised questions about the involvement of China in supporting the impeachment rallies. According to reports from several South Korean media outlets, at several impeachment support rallies in South Korea, individuals claiming to be Chinese took to the stage to openly support the impeachment of Yoon Suk-Yeol. Videos circulating on Korean social media showed a woman at a rally stating, “Even though my roots are in mainland China, I also have a South Korean identity card and am a registered citizen in South Korea.” Such statements further deepen South Korean public suspicions of Chinese interference in politics.

Currently, there is ongoing controversy in South Korean society regarding whether China is truly interfering in South Korean politics, but the South Korean government and public opinion are closely monitoring the development of the situation concerning mainland Chinese media and citizens’ actions.