South Korean President denies ordering arrest of lawmakers

South Korea’s suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared for the first time in his impeachment trial, where he denied ordering the arrest of lawmakers during his attempt to impose martial law.

Parliament voted to impeach Yun last month and last week The Constitutional Court started the case To decide whether he should be removed from the post permanently or not.

Yun also faces a separate criminal investigation into whether he led the rebellion. He has been detained since last week.

Security was tight on Tuesday as Yoon was transported by van from the detention center to the Constitutional Court, where he is being held.

Police formed human walls and set up anti-riot barricades to prevent hundreds of his supporters who had gathered nearby from getting close to him. Last weekend saw violence as dozens of Yun’s supporters clashed with law enforcement The second court house was vandalized.

On Tuesday, Yun was asked whether he had ordered military commanders to “pull” lawmakers from parliament the night he declared martial law, to prevent them from overturning his order.

He replied: “No.”

Military commanders had previously alleged that Yoon had given such an order on December 3, when lawmakers climbed the fence and broke barricades to enter the parliament building and defy Yoon’s martial law declaration.

“I am a person who has a strong belief in liberal democracy,” Yoon said in his opening remarks Tuesday.

“Since the Constitutional Court exists to protect the Constitution, I ask you to thoroughly investigate all aspects of this case,” he told the judges.

During the hearing, which lasted about two hours, Yoon and his lawyers argued that the martial law order was “a formality that was not to be executed”.

Yun had cited threats from “anti-state forces” and North Korea when declaring martial law, but it soon became clear that his move was motivated not by external threats but by his own domestic political troubles.

Lawyers prosecuting the case, who were selected by parliament, accused Yoon and his lawyers of making “grossly contradictory, irrational and vague” comments.

“If they continue to avoid responsibility as they did today, it will only work against them in the impeachment trial and create even more frustration among the public,” prosecutors told reporters after the hearing.

Outside the courtroom, his supporters became more agitated and aggressive as they demanded that Yun be immediately released and reinstated in office.

Which were forced to be set up at some distance from the court due to tight security. Waving their trademark combination of Korean and American flags, some wore MAGA-style baseball caps with the slogan “Make Korea Free Again”, echoing a campaign slogan used by US President Donald Trump.

Some of their slogans included calls for the execution of Lee Jae Myung, the leader of South Korea’s main opposition party, and the investigator who led Yoon’s criminal case.

Many supporters told the BBC that they believed Yun’s martial law declaration was an attempt to protect the country’s democracy.

He accused the opposition party of being pro-China and pro-North Korea and wishing to turn South Korea into a communist country.

“This is a conflict between people who pursue communism and people who pursue democracy,” said businessman Wongyun Seong, 49, who joined the protest on his way back from a lunch meeting.

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyunThe man who allegedly suggested martial law to Yoon will testify at the next hearing on Thursday.

Yoon would be removed from office if at least six of the eight-member constitutional court bench vote to uphold the impeachment. Presidential elections must then be called within 60 days.

Political anarchy is going on in South Korea since December 3. Despite the cold of winter, thousands of protesters and Yun’s supporters have taken to the streets several times.

The crisis has hit the country’s economy, weakening the won and global credit rating agencies warning of weakening consumer and business sentiment.

Additional reporting by Hosu Lee in Seoul