South Korea's Impeached President Faces Court Over Martial Law Declaration

South Korea's embattled president, Yoon Suk Yeol, recently faced the Constitutional Court, marking his first public engagement since being detained over his controversial martial law declaration. He vehemently denied that he had directed the military to physically remove members of Parliament as they voted against his decree, which had plunged the nation into political chaos.

On December 3, Yoon abruptly declared martial law and deployed troops and police around the National Assembly to hinder lawmakers from staging a vote. Despite these efforts, legislators managed to gather and unanimously rejected the martial law decree, leading to the government's swift reversal of the measure the following day. Yoon, who identifies as a conservative, contended that his military deployment was a cautionary measure aimed at the primary opposition party, the Democratic Party, which he accused of hampering his legislative agenda.

In his remarks, Yoon labeled the assembly as "a den of criminals" impeding government functions and proclaimed his intent to eradicate elements he perceived as pro-North Korean and anti-state supporters. However, military leaders who executed his orders have challenged his claims. Kwak Jong-keun, a commander of a special forces unit, testified that Yoon had pressured him to forcibly remove lawmakers from the assembly, a directive he chose not to follow.

Under questioning from the court's acting chief justice, Yoon maintained that he had not issued such orders and suggested that lawmakers could have reconvened elsewhere to address the repeal of martial law. He also dismissed allegations connecting him to plans for creating an emergency legislative body, a move that could shed light on his underlying intentions regarding the martial law.

The South Korean legislature moved to impeach Yoon on December 14, temporarily stripping him of presidential authority until the Constitutional Court rules on his official status by June. Meanwhile, law enforcement is probing possible charges against him for rebellion and abuse of power, which could result in severe penalties, including life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

While presidents in South Korea typically enjoy significant legal protections during their tenure, these do not extend to serious charges like rebellion or treason. Yoon's martial law initiative has not only disrupted diplomatic engagements and financial markets but has also tarnished the country's reputation as a democracy, exacerbating an already deep political divide.

The unrest surrounding his presidency escalated when a district court approved an arrest warrant, prompting violent protests from his supporters. During this chaos, dozens stormed the court premises, damaging property and clashing with police, resulting in injuries to 17 officers and the apprehension of 46 demonstrators.