South Korean president addressed the nation on his months planned martial law. Image: THIS WEEK IN ASIA.
(The Post New)– Yoon Suk Yeol, the South Korean president, has defended the martial law decree and declared that he will “fight until the end” against any efforts to impeach him; this comes after his highly contentious imposition of martial law a week ago. On Thursday, President Yoon addressed the nation, defending the decree as a lawful “act of governance” and firmly rejecting claims of insurrection as investigations into the execution of martial law proceed.
President Yoon’s address came soon after the police reportedly raided his office for the second time amid an investigation into possible insurrection charges in relation to the declaration of martial law. Moreover, while reports state that the first raid was successfully obstructed by the president’s security officers, the effectiveness of the second raid is still unknown.
Yoon’s martial law, which limited political and press freedom, only lasted for six hours before the national assembly reversed it. The martial law declaration has sparked an unpleasant response from opposing parties, which resulted in broad demonstrations and strong demands for him to leave office. Nonetheless, President Yoon maintained that declaring martial law was critical to protecting the democracy of South Korea from “anti-state forces.”
 President Yoon has stated unequivocally that he would continue battling and that he wishes to preserve the future of the Republic of Korea against the forces and criminal organizations that seek to obstruct the government and undermine the constitutional system; he aims to “protect the future” of the nation.Additionally, Yoon apologized to the people of South Korea for the “anxiety” the decree has brought to them and asked them to have faith in his commitment to the people.
The presidential address comes just a few days before the national assembly is anticipated to vote on a second impeachment motion. Last weekend, he narrowly escaped an opposition-led impeachment vote, supported primarily by abstaining members from his People Power Party. However, party leader Han Dong-hoon has now demanded Yoon’s immediate suspension, highlighting that ruling party lawmakers may back the impending impeachment effort.
Currently, the political turmoil has raised additional speculations about a possible presidential election. According to Kweon Seong-dong, Yoon’s close ally, preparations for a presidential election that could be held soon are ongoing. Meanwhile, a probe to determine whether President Yoon and high officials committed acts of rebellion through the declaration of martial law is ongoing; if found guilty, they could face a maximum sentence of death penalty, according to South Korean law.
Earlier this week, an ally of Yoon and former defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun, was apprehended for allegedly orchestrating the decree and organizing soldiers to prevent legislatures from voting on its validity. However, his efforts were unsuccessful as the legislature effectively nullified the decree on December 4.
On Friday, the primary liberal opposition, which is the Democratic Party, is anticipated to file the new impeachment motion, with a vote anticipated on Saturday morning. A dramatic shift in the political landscape of South Korea could be triggered if the impeachment motion is successful. President Yoon’s presidency, which was initially viewed as an opportunity for conservative resurgence, is dangerously in the balance as South Korea awaits the conclusion of this historic political storm.
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