Synopsis
In a recent impeachment trial hearing, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol confirmed he ordered troops to the National Election Commission during martial law due to concerns over election fraud. He denied claims of using military force against lawmakers and defended his actions as necessary for system checks amid serious allegations.Key Takeaways
- Yoon ordered troop deployment to NEC offices amidst martial law.
- Claims of election fraud prompted military actions.
- NEC dismissed fraud allegations as baseless.
- Yoon faces impeachment and insurrection charges.
- Witnesses refuse to testify fully due to legal constraints.
Seoul, Feb 4 (NationPress) South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stated on Tuesday that he commanded the deployment of troops to the offices of the National Election Commission (NEC) during his declaration of martial law due to suspicions of election fraud. This assertion was made while he was present at the fifth official hearing of his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul, where he again refuted claims that he instructed military leaders to forcibly remove lawmakers from parliament in order to thwart their efforts to block the imposition of martial law.
"I instructed then Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun to send troops to NEC offices," Yoon remarked. "This was not intended for any criminal investigations, but rather to assess the systems and their operations."
Yoon further mentioned that he provided this order to Kim days prior to declaring martial law while discussing the situation with him.
"As a prosecutor handling electoral fraud cases, I encountered numerous puzzling, counterfeit ballots. I have long been concerned about electoral fraud issues," Yoon stated.
Hundreds of troops were dispatched to election offices in Seoul, Gwacheon, and Suwon in Gyeonggi Province during the martial law declaration on December 3.
Yoon indicated that he instructed Kim to verify the voting systems of the election authority, raising doubts about the NEC's integrity following alleged cyberattacks by North Korean hackers.
The NEC has rejected allegations of election fraud as unfounded and labeled the troop deployment as unlawful.
The National Assembly proceeded to vote for Yoon's impeachment due to his startlingly brief imposition of martial law. Yoon has been indicted on charges of leading an insurrection and is currently in custody.
Yoon is also accused of sending military personnel to the National Assembly to prevent lawmakers from voting against the martial law declaration and plotting to arrest key political figures.
"Reviewing the case, nothing actually transpired. However, there are claims about my issuing such instructions. It feels as though we are pursuing a shadow on a lake," Yoon commented. "You would grasp the true essence of this case if you viewed it through a lens of common sense."
Yoon asserted that forcibly removing lawmakers from parliament was implausible given the presence of thousands of civilians within the National Assembly grounds, and that troops were withdrawn after the martial law was rescinded.
During the session on Tuesday, Lee Jin-woo, former head of the Capital Defence Command, testified that he did not receive directives from Yoon or then Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun to obstruct lawmakers from voting to lift the martial law.
Lee reportedly informed prosecutors earlier that Yoon ordered him to direct troops to carry lawmakers out of the National Assembly building on the day martial law was enacted, "firing weapons and breaking down doors" if necessary.
Lee, who faces accusations related to the martial law declaration and is currently detained, was summoned as a witness by the National Assembly's legal team.
The parliamentary group has been functioning as the prosecutor in the trial regarding whether to uphold or dismiss the Assembly's impeachment of Yoon.
When asked if Kim's order to dispatch troops to parliament was legal, Lee maintained that he believed it was lawful under the Martial Law Act.
However, Lee declined to provide further testimony.
"I am myself involved in a criminal case, and a process is underway to determine whether to accept or reject the prosecution's report," Lee remarked, referring to his ongoing trial on charges of being a key player in the insurrection.
"I acknowledge the gravity of this situation, but please understand that I am significantly restricted," he stated, suggesting his responses could adversely affect him, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
Yeo In-hyung, former head of the Defence Counterintelligence Command, also appeared as a witness but refrained from testifying.
Yeo allegedly received orders from Kim to arrest and detain opposition leader Lee Jae-myung and former ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon, among others.
When asked if he had received a list of politicians to be arrested during the martial law period, Yeo indicated he would respond later in a criminal trial.
Nevertheless, Yeo admitted to having compiled a list of "specific individuals" for the then National Police Agency chief Cho Ji-ho and requested their location.
Yeo also mentioned that he urged Cho to send police officials to create a joint investigative body in line with the decree and operational plans.
Hong Jang-won, former first Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service, also attended the hearing and claimed he received a call from Yoon instructing him to "round them up and eliminate them."
Yoon has defended his actions as a "warning" to the opposition party while denying the issuance of orders to detain politicians.
