International

Suspended South Korean President Accused of Ordering Military to Use Guns to Remove Lawmakers

Published

2 days ago

Dec 29, 2024.

Dennis

South Korea’s suspended president allegedly ordered military to use force to remove lawmakers during martial law vote.
Impeachment proceedings are ongoing as prosecutors investigate Yoon Suk Yeol’s actions during the December 3 incident.
Former defence minister indicted for allegedly helping carry out military orders to block National Assembly and arrest officials.

Prosecutors have charged South Korea’s suspended president, Yoon Suk Yeol, with instructing the military to use force to remove lawmakers from parliament during a vote on his martial law decree.

Eko Hot Blog reports that according to an indictment in the ongoing impeachment proceedings, Yoon ordered soldiers to “break down the doors and drag them [politicians] out, even if it means firing the guns” on December 3.

These orders were given to a general tasked with blocking the National Assembly during Yoon’s short-lived martial law declaration, which was ultimately voted down by lawmakers after 190 managed to enter the building.

EDITOR’S PICKS

Following the vote, Yoon’s cabinet rescinded the decree, and MPs voted to impeach him.

The impeachment process has led to Yoon being temporarily suspended from his duties, with the Constitutional Court set to decide whether his removal from office will be permanent.

Yoon had declared martial law, citing the need to counter “anti-state forces” in parliament, which some critics viewed as an attempt to break a political deadlock after the opposition’s landslide win in April.

Following his late-night announcement, opposition MPs and protesters gathered at the National Assembly but were met by police and military personnel blocking the building.

Once MPs forced their way in, prosecutors allege that Yoon ordered General Lee Jin-woo, chief of the capital defence command, to have military forces use force if necessary to gain access to the National Assembly.

Yoon allegedly instructed, “Tell (your troops) to go to the voting chamber, four for each (lawmaker) and carry them out,” and “What are you doing? Break down the doors and drag them out.”

After the martial law vote was lifted, prosecutors say Yoon told General Lee to “keep going” and suggested that martial law could be declared multiple times.