SEOUL, Dec 19 (Alliance News): South Korea’s impeached President, Yoon Suk Yeol, is facing legal challenges over his controversial declaration of martial law earlier this month, which led to the country’s worst political crisis in decades.
Yoon’s legal team, in a statement on Thursday, denied accusations of insurrection, defending their client following his removal from office by parliament.
The impeachment vote on December 16 came after Yoon’s abrupt declaration of martial law on December 3, which was swiftly overruled by the National Assembly hours later.
Speaking to the media, Seok Dong-hyeon, a spokesperson for Yoon’s legal team, argued that the brief duration of the martial law declaration—lasting only a few hours—undermined claims of insurrection.
“Where in the world does a leader declare an insurrection during a live press conference?” Seok questioned, referring to Yoon’s live television announcement.
The Constitutional Court began proceedings on December 18, with a six-month window to decide whether to uphold the impeachment. The court has ordered Yoon to submit detailed records of his martial law decree and cabinet meetings from before and after the announcement.
Yoon is also under investigation by a joint task force involving the police, the defense ministry, and anti-corruption investigators.
If convicted, Yoon faces potential life imprisonment or even the death penalty. His legal team maintains he remains confident in challenging the charges.
