South Korea’s ruling party chief has accused President Yoon Suk-yeol of being a danger to his people after a botched attempt to impose martial law provoked a constitutional crisis.

In stunning comments that raise the prospect of Mr Yoon being impeached within days, Han Dong-hoon, the head of Mr Yoon’s People Power Party, claimed there was now “credible evidence” that the president ordered the arrest of key politicians on Tuesday night.

Mr Han had previously said he would not support an impeachment of Mr Yoon, but on Friday said the president’s refusal to acknowledge he had done anything wrong in declaring martial law had forced him to change his mind.

It means the impeachment Bill that will go before South Korea’s lawmakers on Saturday looks more likely to pass, though it is uncertain whether all of the PPP’s 108 MPs will follow Mr Han’s U-turn.

The Bill would require only a handful of PPP defectors to pass.

“Considering the newly emerging facts, I believe that a swift suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s duties is necessary to safeguard the Republic of Korea and its people,” Mr Han said.