Rep. Kim Sang-wook of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) stands in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, Friday, asking fellow lawmakers to vote for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his surprise martial law declaration. Yonhap

Rep. Kim Sang-wook of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) said Friday that he has been bullied by fellow party members and received death threats from voters after publically supporting the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law declaration.

"To be honest, there are a lot of death threats and bullying," he said on a local radio program, Thursday.

"Many persuaded me (not to support impeachment) right after martial law was lifted," he said. "When I stated my affirmation (in favor of impeachment) through a press conference on Tuesday, there was no more persuasion, only intimidation."

Although Kim, a first-time lawmaker representing the conservative Ulsan electoral district, refrained from specifying how PPP lawmakers were intimidating him, Kim Woong, a former PPP lawmaker who appeared with him on the show, speculated that it would be about winning a party nomination for reelection.

Kim also confessed that there is a lot of pressure from voters in his constituency.

"For example, in the case of Rep. Kim Jae-sub (of the PPP) representing Dobong District in Seoul, voters strongly support impeachment. But lawmakers from the southeastern region could get in trouble when they say they support impeachment," Kim said.

Kim even asked the police for safety cooperation as a large protest rally is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday at the party's regional office in his region. "I can't go down to Ulsan right now," he said.

"Conservatives were seen as more like interest groups and extremists (in Korea so far), but we started campaigning to renew this concept to more value-oriented conservatives," he said. "We are trying to make that change in our district first."