South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol has defended his martial law decree in a public appearance before the Constitutional Court, where his fate will be decided. The decree was imposed on December 3, which led to widespread political turmoil and opposition from lawmakers.
Yoon claimed that the military’s deployment to the National Assembly was not intended to block voting but rather a warning to the main liberal opposition Democratic Party. However, commanders of military units have disputed this claim, saying Yoon ordered them to “quickly destroy the door and drag out” lawmakers.
At the Constitutional Court hearing, Yoon said that the lawmakers could have gathered elsewhere to overturn the decree, and he feared physical confrontation would have led to a popular backlash. He denied giving a memo on establishing an emergency legislative body before imposing martial law.
Yoon’s detention has sparked controversy over his alleged role in rebellion, abuse of power, and other crimes. The Constitutional Court will determine whether to formally dismiss him as president or reinstate him by June.
The opposition has accused Yoon of undermining democracy and hurting South Korea’s international image. The situation remains tense, with protests and clashes between police and supporters of the detained president still ongoing.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-martial-law-yoon-constitutional-court-f2e1651552d199b628fe2274ba0ac6f3