Rep. Kim Yea-ji of the ruling People Power Party walks toward the voting area in the National Assembly's main chamber to cast her vote on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment motion, Saturday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Rep. Kim Yea-ji of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) said on Sunday that she voted in favor of the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol, citing the need to heed citizens' voices.

Kim, who is visually impaired, was the first PPP lawmaker to return to the National Assembly chamber and participate in the vote after her party's mass walkout during the impeachment vote on Saturday.

In an interview with BBC Korea, Kim said, "I didn't believe that rejecting the impeachment motion was the only way to prevent chaos in governance."

She explained her support for impeachment as part of her commitment to reforming the PPP and helping it gain the trust of citizens, even at the expense of her personal interests.

Kim recounted the reaction from opposition lawmakers during the vote. "They thanked me, saying, 'Thank you for coming back.' I was surprised," she said.

However, she clarified that her actions were not to support the opposition but to fulfill her responsibility to the citizens she represents. "It was simply the right thing to do as their representative," she said.

Rep. Kim Yea-ji of the People Power Party casts a vote on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment motion in the National Assembly's main chamber, Saturday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Facing backlash within her party

Kim disclosed that she received significant backlash from within the PPP after participating in the vote. "I've received numerous hostile messages and calls from party members telling me to resign or leave the party," she said.

Despite this, she defended her actions, saying, "I want to make it clear that I didn't break party lines just for the sake of defiance. My primary concern has always been my duty as a lawmaker."

Kim, a pianist-turned-politician who was elected as a proportional representative in the 21st and 22nd National Assembly, criticized President Yoon's inability to gain public support.

"Even the best policies cannot succeed if the president does not have the people's trust," she said, adding that she stood in solidarity with citizens, including those with disabilities, who were excluded from critical information like the martial law declaration.

The impeachment motion, proposed by opposition parties, was nullified after failing to meet the required quorum of 200 lawmakers.

Out of 108 PPP lawmakers, 107 staged a collective walkout, leaving only Kim and Kim Sang-wook to return and cast their votes. Ahn Cheol-soo also remained in the chamber during the vote, while 105 PPP members abstained.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.