South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol faces an escalating political crisis after ordering the arrest of prominent political leaders, including his own party’s leader, Han Dong-hoon, during his controversial martial law declaration earlier this week.

The arrest list also included Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, and three opposition lawmakers, according to National Intelligence Service Deputy Director Hong Jang-won.

Yoon’s martial law attempt, which he claimed was necessary to address “anti-state forces,” has drawn widespread condemnation and spurred emergency political meetings. Lawmakers are now preparing to vote on an impeachment motion, set for Saturday.

The opposition, which holds a majority in the 300-seat National Assembly, requires the support of at least eight members of Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) to secure the 200 votes needed for impeachment.

In a significant blow to Yoon, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, who was initially opposed to the impeachment motion, announced Friday that there is “credible evidence” the president had ordered his arrest and the detention of other key politicians on fabricated “anti-state charges.” Han called for Yoon’s immediate suspension, warning that the president’s actions posed a “great danger” to South Korea’s democracy.

Han also revealed that Yoon had planned to jail arrested politicians in a detention center south of Seoul, raising concerns about further “extreme actions” if Yoon remains in office.

Yoon’s martial law declaration late Tuesday night shocked the nation. It included orders to ban political activities, restrict press freedoms, and arrest political opponents. However, the move backfired when 190 MPs, some climbing fences and breaking barricades, convened in parliament to vote it down.

Special Forces Commander Kwak Jong-kuen testified Friday that he defied orders to remove MPs from the National Assembly floor during the vote. “I ordered soldiers not to enter the floor, not to issue live ammunition, and to ensure no harm came to civilians,” Kwak said.

Kwak and two other commanders were suspended later for their role in partially executing Yoon’s martial law order before it was rescinded.

The impeachment vote looms as South Koreans anxiously await clarity on their president’s fate. Yoon’s martial law declaration, seen as a desperate attempt to consolidate power amid mounting domestic political challenges, has unnerved South Korea’s allies and financial markets.

Reports of Yoon heading to parliament on Friday, though denied by his office, prompted opposition MPs to block entry to the assembly while chanting “impeach, impeach.”

Some lawmakers have stayed near the National Assembly to respond quickly in case of another martial law attempt, reflecting fears of further political escalation.

Yoon’s actions, widely criticized as a misuse of power, have drawn attention to South Korea’s fragile political climate. His invocation of martial law in response to domestic troubles, rather than external threats, has raised alarms among allies and financial markets alike.

With the impeachment vote approaching, the nation braces for a historic decision that could shape South Korea’s political future.