Official statements from the South Korean government or detention center

South Korea's Yoon Denies Ordering Lawmakers' Removal at Historic Impeachment Trial Over Martial Law

Jan 21, 2025, 06:00 AM

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attended a Constitutional Court hearing on Tuesday for his impeachment trial, marking the first time in the country's history that a sitting president has appeared in court for such proceedings. Yoon, detained on charges related to his short-lived attempt to impose martial law in December, denied ordering military commanders to forcibly remove lawmakers from parliament. He emphasized his belief in liberal democracy and stated that the special forces sent to parliament were not intended to disable the legislature or prevent it from overturning his martial law decree. Yoon's legal team argued that his declaration of martial law was a response to what they described as governmental paralysis caused by the opposition's actions in parliament. Following the hearing, Yoon was taken to the Armed Forces Seoul Capital District Hospital for a medical check-up before returning to the Seoul Detention Center.