South Korea’s suspended president, Yoon Suk Yeol, is under investigation after failing to impose martial law last December 2023. A report from prosecutors reveals that Yoon authorized the military to use force if needed to enter parliament at the most critical moment when lawmakers wanted to vote down his martial law declaration. The details, which were unearthed from a 10-page summary of an indictment report, have revealed that Yoon was ready to escalate his authority in order to maintain control over the situation, even suggesting that the military use weapons to break into the National Assembly.
Martial Law Attempt and Military Intervention
On December 3, 2023, this controversy unfolded as Yoon declared martial law in the face of growing political tensions with opposition. The declaration came when there was a budget row between Yoon’s party and the lawmakers from opposition. The National Assembly began voting against the declaration in a very short period of time. In an attempt to force their way into the building, the heavily armed military troops began scaling down the fences, smashing the windows, and using helicopters on the premises.
The prosecution’s report revealed that Yoon had ordered the chief of the capital defense command, Lee Jin-woo, to break into the National Assembly, at one point ordering military personnel to “shoot if necessary.” Yoon reportedly instructed Lee, “Have you still not got in? What are you doing? Break down the door and drag them out, even if it means shooting.”
He allegedly ordered Defense Counterintelligence Command Chief General Kwak Jong-keun to “quickly get inside the National Assembly” and “bring out the people inside the chamber” if the quorum for lifting the martial law declaration could not be made.
Reaction to the Declaration and Political Consequences
Despite these actions, lawmakers were able to rush into parliament and vote 190-0 to nullify the martial law declaration on the early morning of December 4, 2023. However, even after this, Yoon allegedly told Lee, “Even if it’s lifted, I can declare martial law a second or third time, so just keep going.”
The investigation into the failed attempt at martial law has caused deep political turmoil. Yoon’s lawyer, Yoon Kab-keun, dismissed the report of the prosecution, describing it as “a one-sided account,” pointing out that it did not reflect “objective circumstances” or “common sense.”
Impeachment and Legal Developments
The martial law attempt failure led to the impeachment of Yoon, which was upheld by the National Assembly. There is further legal battle about his removal from office. South Korea’s Constitutional Court has recently had its first preliminary hearing on Yoon’s impeachment. His lawyers were also in attendance in the case. The Constitutional Court will also make the decision about Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Yoon’s replacement, whom it had impeached on December 8, 2023, for refusing to finalize the impeachment process against Yoon.
A former Defense Minister, Kim Yong-hyun, involved in the plot to implement martial law was detained early this month. The controversy has created fierce backlash against the incumbent administration, particularly from lawmakers from the opposition party, as the Democratic Party member Kang Sun-woo labelled Yoon as “treasonous ringleader” and insisted he be taken into immediate arrest.
Public Backlash due to Politics
The actions of Yoon have incited wide-scale anger within the society, particularly coming from the side of the opposition. As more information begins to unfold, many want to ensure that there is full accountability and lawsuits against those people involved in trying to pull down the civilian rule system and have martial law put into the country. It’s worth noting that since Yoon’s impeachment, South Korea’s political crisis has far from being over with and how the nation needs to heal over the process of moving towards an almost authoritarian government.
Yoon Suk Yeol’s controversial actions in December 2023 have left South Korea facing a political and legal crisis, with his failed martial law attempt at the center of the controversy. As the investigation continues, the suspended president’s fate hangs in the balance, with ongoing impeachment proceedings and heightened tensions between the government and opposition lawmakers. The case raises significant concerns about the future of democracy and civilian governance in South Korea.