1 of 6 | Supporters of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol gathered near Seoul’s Constitutional Court Tuesday as Yoon appeared at an impeachment trial hearing. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI
SEOUL, Jan. 21 (UPI) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in a Seoul court for his impeachment trial Tuesday, defending his short-lived martial law bid and denying charges that he ordered the military to drag lawmakers out of the National Assembly.
Yoon arrived at the Constitutional Court in the early afternoon in a motorcade from Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, just south of the capital, where he has been in custody since Wednesday. It was his first public appearance since declaring martial law on Dec. 3.
The session, which was broadcast live, began with acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae giving Yoon a chance to speak.
“Ever since coming of age, I have lived with a firm belief in liberal democracy, especially while serving in public office,” Yoon said. “As the Constitutional Court exists to safeguard the Constitution, I kindly ask our justices to carefully examine all aspects of this case.”
Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly on Dec. 14 and has been relieved of his duties while the court decides whether to uphold or reject the motion. If he is ousted, a snap presidential election must be held within 60 days.
The 64-year-old former prosecutor is also facing criminal charges over insurrection and abuse of power. He was taken into custody for questioning last week by anti-corruption officials and police, ending a weeks-long standoff.
On Tuesday, Yoon denied charges relating to his declaration of martial law, including allegations that he had directed the military to “drag out” lawmakers from the National Assembly to stop them from voting down his martial law decree on Dec. 3.
“No,” he replied when asked by Justice Moon whether he had given the order. “[A vote] is not something that can be prevented by blocking or postponing it.”
Yoon added that after the vote was held, he “immediately withdrew the troops.”
Some 4,000 police officers were dispatched to tighten security ahead of Yoon’s appearance, with vehicle barricades and fencing set up in a wide perimeter around the courthouse in downtown Seoul.
Thousands of pro-Yoon supporters gathered for a raucous rally nearby, holding up signs declaring the impeachment invalid alongside South Korean and American flags. Some protesters chanted for opposition leader Lee Jae-myung and the lead investigator prosecuting Yoon’s case to be executed.
Yoon said that he declared martial law to protect the public from the “pro-North Korea anti-state forces” in the opposition Democratic Party that were obstructing his agenda and paralyzing the government. He has also frequently repeated unsubstantiated claims of election fraud, with his defense team citing North Korean and Chinese election meddling as a reason for the martial law decree.
“A state of national emergency equivalent to the declaration of martial law means not only a physical war situation, but also a serious threat to politics, economy and security, and the resulting paralysis and confusion of state affairs,” Yoon’s lawyer Yun Gap-geun said in a statement sent to reporters on Tuesday. “The President declared martial law in order to prepare for various forms of threats that would cause confusion in state affairs.”
His supporters, fueled by widespread right-wing conspiracy theories on YouTube, have amplified the election fraud message at rallies with countless “Stop the Steal” signs in Korean and English.
Over the weekend, protests turned violent at the Western District Court after Yoon was formally arrested for his martial law attempt. Dozens of angry supporters stormed the court building in the early hours of Sunday morning, breaking windows, destroying property and injuring 17 police officers.
Some 86 of the rioters were arrested as of Sunday and are facing charges of up to 10 years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines, according to news agency Yonhap.
Yoon is the first South Korean president to attend his own impeachment trial. The next hearing is scheduled for Thursday, with former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun slated to testify.
