S Korea's Yoon Denies Rebellion Charges, Says Martial Law Was 'An Act of Governance'

Seoul: South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol defended his martial law decree as an act of governance and denied rebellion charges in a statement on Thursday.

He stated that he has no intention of resigning and rejected the impeachment attempts and investigations into last week’s move.

Yoon’s televised statement on Thursday came hours before the main liberal opposition Democratic Party was set to submit a new impeachment motion against him. The opposition party plans to put the motion to a floor vote this Saturday.

An earlier attempt to impeach Yoon fell through last Saturday, with ruling party lawmakers boycotting the vote at the National Assembly.

Yoon’s December 3 martial law decree has generated political chaos and protests calling for his ouster.

“I will fight to the end, to prevent the forces and criminal groups that have been responsible for paralyzing the country’s government and disrupting the nation’s constitutional order from threatening the future of the Republic of Korea,” Yoon stated. 

Yoon Suk Yeol Survives Impeachment

The impeachment vote for South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol failed to succeed. The chorus against Yoon had gained strength after his undemocratic and controversial move of declaring martial rule in the country earlier this week. However, he failed to impose the martial rule after S Korean Parliament voted 190-0 against the ruling. Yoon survived the impeachment motion after his party members boycotted it.

A South Korean legislative push to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law fell through after most lawmakers from his conservative governing party boycotted the vote.

‘Very Sorry’: South Korean President Apologises for Martial Law

Yoon also apologised for public anxiety caused by his short-lived attempt to impose martial law earlier this week, and said he would leave it to his conservative political party to chart a course through the turmoil left in its aftermath “including matters related to my term in office", hours ahead of a parliamentary vote on impeaching him.

With inputs from AP.