South Korea's Yoon defends martial law as an act of governance and vows to 'fight to the end'
South Korea’s president has defended his martial law decree as an act of governance and denied rebellion charges, vowing to “fight to the end” in response to attempts to impeach him and intensifying investigations into last week’s dramatic move
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol defended his martial law decree as an act of governance and denied rebellion charges, vowing Thursday to “fight to the end” in response to attempts to impeach him and intensifying investigations into last week’s dramatic move.
The main opposition Democratic Party quickly slammed Yoon’s speech as “an expression of extreme delusion" and “false propaganda.” Later Thursday, it and other opposition parties submitted a new impeachment motion against Yoon for a floor vote this weekend.
The opposition-controlled parliament also passed motions Thursday to impeach and suspend Yoon's police chief and justice minister over the imposition of martial law, escalating the pressure on Yoon's embattled government.
Yoon’s short-lived Dec. 3 martial law declaration has generated political chaos and large protests calling for his ouster. The decree brought hundreds of armed troops who attempted to encircle parliament and raid the election commission, though no major violence or injuries occurred. Martial law lasted only six hours as Yoon was forced to lift it after the National Assembly unanimously voted it down.
