South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol gave an order to “withdraw” lawmakers from Parliament after he declared Martial Law on December 3, an army commander said on Tuesday (10).
Kwak Jong-geun, commander of the Army’s Special Warfare Command, told a Parliamentary committee that he had received several phone calls from Yoon overnight after the declaration of Martial Law.
“He said to break down the door and go in there and drag out the people who were inside,” said Kwak, referring to the parliamentarians who were beginning to meet to vote on whether to revoke the president’s decree.
Kwak stressed that he decided not to carry out Yoon’s order.
The Special Forces commander’s testimony differed from previous statements by military officials that it was the Defense Minister at the time, Kim Yong-hyun, who gave the order to remove lawmakers from the Parliament chamber.
The minister resigned and was arrested.
President of South Korea is investigated
Yoon Suk Yeol is the target of criminal investigations over insurrection charges.
He apologized for the failed attempt to impose Martial Law, but did not accept the growing calls for him to resign, even from some in his own party, the People Power Party (PPP).
The party said on Tuesday that it is discussing Yoon’s possible resignation in February and holding an early election in April or May.
The declaration of Martial Law surprised the country and plunged Asia’s fourth largest economy and a major ally of the United States into a constitutional crisis.
Yoon’s office, when asked by Reuters about who was running South Korea, said it had “no official position to offer” but cited previous statements from the foreign and defense ministries.
The Defense Ministry spokesman said on Monday that Yoon was still commander-in-chief and the Foreign Ministry spokesman said that affairs of state, including foreign relations, “were being conducted under a process established in Constitution and the law”.
Yoon repealed martial law six hours after parliament voted.
Find out what Martial Law is, a measure enacted in South Korea
This content was originally published in President of South Korea reportedly ordered to remove lawmakers in Martial Law on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
