Seoul - Saba:
Ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has denied ordering the military to pull lawmakers out of the National Assembly to prevent them from voting.
The ousted South Korean leader made his first public appearance Tuesday before the Constitutional Court, which will decide his fate. Yoon’s appearance at court was his first public appearance since becoming the first South Korean leader to be detained over his short-lived declaration of martial law that politically destabilized the country.
After the sudden imposition of martial law on Dec. 3, Yoon sent troops and police to surround the National Assembly, but several lawmakers managed to enter and unanimously vote against his decree, forcing the government to rescind the decision the next morning.
Yoon has since said the deployment was not intended to prevent the assembly from functioning, but rather as a warning to the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party, “which has used its majority in the assembly to obstruct Yoon’s agenda, weaken his budget bill, and remove some of his top government officials.”
In declaring martial law, Yol described the assembly as a "den of criminals obstructing government affairs" and vowed to eliminate "shameless North Korean followers and anti-state forces."
The National Assembly removed Yoon on December 14, and he remains suspended from his duties while an investigation is underway into allegations that he led the rebellion and abused his power by declaring martial law.
The Constitutional Court has 180 days from the day it receives the case on December 14 to uphold the National Assembly's decision and remove Yoon or reinstate him.
If Yoon is removed, an early presidential election will be held within 60 days.