The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chair Rep. Lee Jae-myung, in a televised speech on Friday, urged ruling party lawmakers to vote in favor of the motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol in the National Assembly's session on Saturday.

"It's not Yoon Suk Yeol or your party that you're supposed to protect," said Lee, who leads the party that controls the majority in the Assembly. "It's the people wailing in the streets, in the cold, and their livelihoods that you're supposed to protect."

The opposition leader also denounced President Yoon's address to the nation on Thursday, which defended his martial law declaration on Dec. 3. Lee said Yoon's address "was a testament that impeaching Yoon is the speediest and surest possible way to end this disruption." Yoon on Thursday denied that he intended to bring the National Assembly under military control, despite an attempt by Army troops to enter the Assembly, which was livestreamed.

"I urge you to join us in the impeachment vote tomorrow," Lee said, addressing the 108 ruling party lawmakers at the 300-member National Assembly. "Your choices will be remembered and recorded in history."

As of Thursday, seven ruling party lawmakers -- Reps. Ahn Cheol-soo, Cho Kyoung-tae, Jin Jong-oh, Kim Sang-wook, Kim Yea-ji, Kim Jae-sub and Han Zee-a -- had openly expressed their intention to vote for the motion to impeach Yoon.

A motion to impeach a South Korean president requires at least 200 votes.

The ruling party lawmakers' boycott of the Dec. 7 vote led to the motion being scrapped, as only 195 lawmakers -- including three ruling party lawmakers -- participated.

Lee also told the public that Saturday would mark a day of victory for the people, who he said are struggling to deal with the fallout from Yoon's short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec. 3.

"Tomorrow, Dec. 14, 2024, will be remembered as the day of the people's victory," Lee said.

"Every night, I have seen Yeouido filled with crowds of people holding candles. I've been thinking, the nights of (people's) resistance show no sign of ending since the night of the Dec. 3 insurrection. Days have passed, but the people's nightmare of Dec. 3 drags on," he said, referring to the island of Yeouido, where the National Assembly building is located.

During the address, Lee thanked the United States and other allies of South Korea for expressing support for the country's democracy.

The opposition leader also said he would work to end South Korea's leadership void and promptly normalize state affairs.