SEOUL: South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol is willing to present his views himself during legal proceedings related to his short-lived declaration of martial law, a lawyer advising Yoon said on Thursday (Dec 19).
Seok Dong-hyeon, a lawyer and long-time friend of Yoon, also told reporters that multiple – seemingly overlapping – investigations involving Yoon should be streamlined.
Yoon, who is an ex-prosecutor, shocked the nation on Dec 3 when he declared martial law in a late night televised address, before backing down hours later after outraged lawmakers rejected his decree.
“He (Yoon) has already apologised for surprising and shocking the public, and he remains apologetic for that … but he has a clear and confident position on the issues that are in dispute and must be addressed,” Seok told a briefing, adding Yoon had never even considered insurrection.
Yoon was impeached by parliament in a vote last Saturday over his imposition of martial law, and faces a Constitutional Court trial on whether to remove him from office or restore his presidential powers.
Yoon also faces investigations into whether the martial law declaration constituted insurrection, one of the few charges for which a South Korean president does not have immunity from.
“What kind of insurrection follows parliament’s order to stop … and quits after two to three hours?” said Seok, who was wearing a souvenir watch from Yoon’s presidential office.
Asked whether the martial law decree breached the constitution, Seok said Yoon viewed the situation of an overbearing opposition party controlling parliament, cutting the government budget and impeaching government officials as an “emergency state” and the basis to invoke martial order.
