Synopsis
On February 4, a former military commander implicated in South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration opted not to testify at his impeachment trial. Lee Jin-woo cited his ongoing criminal case as a reason for his refusal, raising significant legal implications in the proceedings.Key Takeaways
- Lee Jin-woo refused to testify at the impeachment trial.
- His refusal is linked to an ongoing criminal case.
- The trial addresses Yoon's brief martial law declaration.
- Yoon has denied giving orders for arrests.
- Other military leaders are also involved in the hearings.
Moscow, Feb 4 (NationPress) A former military commander who is under scrutiny for his role in the brief imposition of martial law by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declined to provide testimony during Yoon's impeachment trial on Tuesday.
Lee Jin-woo, the former leader of the Capital Defense Command, attended the fifth official hearing at the Constitutional Court after being summoned as a witness by the legal team of the National Assembly.
The parliamentary team has taken on the role of prosecutor in the proceedings to determine whether to uphold or reject the impeachment of Yoon, which stems from his brief declaration of martial law on December 3, according to reports from Yonhap news agency.
"I myself am involved in a criminal case and a process is underway to determine whether to accept or deny the prosecution's report," Lee stated during the hearing, alluding to his trial connected to charges of insurrection.
"I recognize this is a serious and significant matter, but please understand that my ability to respond is greatly limited," he mentioned, implying that his responses could potentially be incriminating.
Yoon was also present at the hearing.
Currently in custody, Lee reportedly informed prosecutors that Yoon instructed him to direct troops to forcibly remove lawmakers from the National Assembly building on the day martial law was enacted, using measures such as "firing guns and breaking down doors" if necessary.
In addition to Lee, Yeo In-hyung, the former head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, and Hong Jang-won, former first deputy director of the National Intelligence Service, were also called to testify during the hearing.
Yeo allegedly received directives from then Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun to arrest and detain opposition leader Lee Jae-myung and former ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon, among others.
Hong has stated to lawmakers that he received a call from Yoon instructing him to "round them up and get rid of them."
Yoon has characterized his actions as a "warning" to the opposition party while denying any orders to arrest politicians.
