South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Denies Ordering Lawmaker Removal at Historic Impeachment Trial

Jan 21, 2025, 05:26 AM

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, detained on charges of leading an insurrection, appeared before the Constitutional Court on January 21, 2025, for an impeachment trial, marking the first time a sitting president has attended such a hearing in South Korea. Yoon denied allegations of ordering the military to forcibly remove lawmakers from parliament to prevent them from voting down his martial law declaration in December. He also rejected claims of ordering the arrest of political figures such as Han Dong-hoon and Woo Won-shik. Yoon maintained that his belief in liberal democracy guided his actions and emphasized that he had lived with this conviction throughout his public service career. He argued that the martial law decree was merely a formal measure and not intended for execution, and he had no intention of arresting or killing political figures. The court session lasted for 1 hour and 43 minutes, after which Yoon returned to the Seoul Detention Center. Following the hearing, Yoon was taken to the Armed Forces Seoul Capital District Hospital for a routine health check, as approved by the detention center's warden.