South Korean investigators have asked prosecutors to indict jailed President Yoon Suk-yeol for his brief martial law last month, after the country's ousted defense minister testified that he wanted a wider military deployment than Yun.
Yun again defended his actions when he appeared in court for the second time on Thursday, saying the Dec. 3 martial law order was only intended to inform the public of the danger of the opposition-controlled National Assembly. He argued that the imposition of martial law was premature ended as he quickly withdrew the troops after the assembly voted against his decree.
“The reason for declaring martial law was not to warn the opposition. I was trying to appeal to the people to strictly control and criticize the opposition,” Yun said during the hearings. “No matter how many warnings I gave to the opposition, they would be useless.”
The assembly impeached and suspended Yun on December 14. The Constitutional Court is now considering whether to formally remove Yun from office or reinstate him.
Appearing at the same hearing, Kim Yong-hyun, Yun's defense minister during martial law, defended the president's argument, saying he drafted the decree and proposed it to Yun.
Kim, a close associate of Yun's who is also in custody, claims that Yun asked him to remove the public curfew from the decree, muster a much smaller number of troops than he had originally proposed, and prevent the troops from carrying live ammunition.
“Yes,” Kim said when asked by Yun's lawyers whether the president had overruled the defense minister's proposal to mobilize all military units stationed in Seoul.
Kim confirmed that he also proposed sending some units to opposition party headquarters and a left-wing electoral organization.
Kim's statements could not immediately be independently verified. He has previously said he bears sole responsibility for imposing martial law.He was barred from attempting suicide in custody days after the ill-fated martial law was imposed.
Since taking office in 2022, the conservative Yoon has been at odds with the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, which has blocked his agenda and impeached several of his top officials “criminal den” that disrupts government affairs and has vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korean followers and anti-state forces”.
Yun's martial law, the first of its kind in South Korea in more than 40 years, lasted only six hours. Yun sent troops and police into the National Assembly, but enough lawmakers managed to enter the chamber and unanimously called for an end to the state of emergency.
Yun and Kim said the deployment of his troops and police was meant to maintain order, but the opposition and investigative authorities believe they tried to seal the meeting to prevent lawmakers from overturning his decree and planned to detain some politicians and Kim denied it.
During the testimony, Yoon could be seen occasionally nodding to Kim.
Earlier on Thursday, the Corruption Perceptions Office (CIO) said Yun, in collaboration with Kim and other military commanders, allegedly staged a “rebellion” and attempted to violate the constitution when he declared martial law accused Yuni of abusing his powers by mobilizing troops for illegitimate purposes and preventing parliament from voting to end martial law the right
Under the law, the leader of the rebellion could face life imprisonment or the death penalty. After being detained by the CIO, Yoon refused efforts to interrogate him, claiming that the investigation and his detention were illegal.
“As you know, despite the heavy national charge of being the leader of the rebellion, the suspect has always maintained a non-cooperative stance and defied the criminal proceedings,” CIO Deputy Prosecutor General Lee Jae-seung said in a televised briefing.
Yun's defense team released a statement accusing the CIO of “humiliating” Yun by trying to pressure him to speak to investigators and abusing his human rights by preventing him from contacting family members.
In his first appearance at the Constitutional Court hearing on Tuesday, Yun denied that he had ordered the military to pull lawmakers out of the National Assembly to prevent them from voting.
Yoon's martial law decree has shaken South Korean politics and financial markets and damaged his international reputation. Yoon's subsequent defiance and opposition efforts to oust him have also exacerbated South Korea's already serious internal divisions.
Coupon, © 2025 mono9.xyz