South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday defended his martial law declaration as an act of governance and denied insurrection charges facing him, while vowing to fight until the last moment against whether it is impeachment or a martial law probe, as per Yonhap news agency.
In a televised public address, Yoon said sending troops to the National Assembly during martial law can’t amount to insurrection, while he continued to defy calls to step down, the South Korean news outlet reported.
Yoon said he used his presidential power to declare martial law “to protect the nation and normalize state affairs” against the opposition that paralyzed the government, calling it a “highly calibrated political judgment,” Yonhap reported. “Whether I am impeached or investigated, I will fairly confront it,” he said.
Yoon accused the opposition of badgering the government with impeachment and proposing budget cuts in necessary expenses planned for next year, saying it is “performing a frenzied sword dance,” as per Yonhap.
Following the martial law decree, the National Assembly has passed next year’s budget of 673.3 trillion won (USD 471.5 billion) as cut by the main opposition party and impeachment motions against the chief state auditor and prosecutors despite opposition from the ruling People Power Party (PPP).
“The National Assembly, dominated by the large opposition party, has become a monster that destroys the Constitutional order of free democracy,” Yonhap quoted Yoon as saying.
The main opposition Democratic Party controls 171 seats in the 300-member parliament.
Yoon revealed that he ordered the former Defence Chief Kim Yong-hyun to check the voting system of the National Election Commission, raising questions over its credibility following alleged cyber-attacks by North Korean hackers.
“I will fight till the last moment together with you,” Yoon said, once again apologizing for causing inconvenience with the brief imposition of martial law.
