South Korea's Yoon Suk Yeol defends his martial law decree as impeachment trial nears end

In his final statement at the impeachment trial, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol defended his martial law decree, which had thrown South Korea into turmoil. He stated that the move was intended to inform the public of the dangers posed by the opposition-controlled National Assembly. On Tuesday, he pledged to push for political reforms if his presidential powers were restored, ensuring greater stability in the government.

Yoon Suk-yeol made the remarks at the Constitutional Court, as the court was concluding its debate over his impeachment trial. The court is expected to rule by mid-March on whether to remove Yoon Suk-yeol from office or reinstate his presidential powers. Previously, the National Assembly, controlled by the liberal opposition party, impeached the conservative president because his martial law decree triggered political upheaval, disrupted financial markets, and damaged South Korea's international image. He was also arrested and charged with insurrection for the martial law decree, facing a possible death sentence or life imprisonment if convicted.

Yoon Suk-yeol denied any wrongdoing and blamed the political crisis on the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, accusing it of obstructing his agenda, impeaching numerous senior officials, and drastically cutting the government's budget proposal. During the announcement of martial law, Yoon Suk-yeol called the National Assembly a "den of criminals" and "anti-state forces." He stated, "The reason I declared martial law was because I felt despair that I could no longer ignore the life-or-death crisis facing this country." He also said that he was trying to inform the people of these anti-state crimes committed by the massive opposition party and called on the people to prevent these actions through close monitoring and criticism.

Following the declaration of martial law, Yoon Suk-yeol dispatched troops and police to the National Assembly, but enough lawmakers still managed to enter the parliamentary chamber and unanimously voted down Yoon Suk-yeol's martial law decree, forcing his cabinet to rescind it. On Tuesday, Yoon Suk-yeol reiterated that he had no intention of disrupting the work of the National Assembly, and that the deployment of troops and police was to maintain order. However, some commanders of military units dispatched to the National Assembly testified that Yoon Suk-yeol ordered them to drag out lawmakers to prevent them from overturning his martial law decree.

At the hearing, Democratic Party lawmaker Chung Cheong-rae stated that Yoon Suk-yeol must be removed from office because he undermined the constitution by attempting to blockade the National Assembly and suppress its power with armed forces. Chung Cheong-rae also stated that Yoon Suk-yeol's implementation of martial law disrupted public order because South Korea was not in a state of emergency that warranted such drastic measures. Chung Cheong-rae said, "Yoon Suk-yeol still refuses to engage in self-reflection and soul-searching and repeats sophistry and cunning remarks, claiming that his emergency martial law decree was an advanced act of governance. We should dismiss him as soon as possible and get the Republic of Korea back on track."

Mass rallies by supporters and opponents of Yoon Suk-yeol have divided the streets of Seoul and other major South Korean cities. Experts say that whatever ruling the Constitutional Court makes is likely to further exacerbate the country's polarization and deepen the divide between its conservatives and liberals. If Yoon Suk-yeol is formally removed from office, a national election must be held within two months to find his successor. In testimony lasting over an hour on Tuesday, Yoon Suk-yeol stated that if he regains presidential power, he will push for political reforms and constitutional amendments to change the current presidential system.

He also suggested resigning before the end of his five-year term in 2027 to facilitate "political reform." It is unclear whether and how Yoon Suk-yeol's statement will affect the court's ruling. After decades of military-backed authoritarian rule, South Korea adopted its current system in 1987, which limits the president's term to five years. In the wake of Yoon Suk-yeol's martial law fiasco, there have been calls to change it. Some favor a parliamentary cabinet system, while others want to adopt an American-style system where the president can run for a second four-year term, or a system where the president and prime minister share major responsibilities.