South Korean president accused of ordering the use of weapons to prevent the martial law vote

Prosecutors allege South Korea’s suspended president ordered the military to use weapons as he tried to remove lawmakers from parliament as they voted against his martial law decree.

On December 3, Yoon Suk Yeol authorized soldiers to “break down the doors and remove them (politicians), even if it means shooting,” according to an indictment in his impeachment proceedings.

The orders are said to have been given to a general accused of blocking the National Assembly during Yoon’s brief declaration of martial law, which was rejected by parliamentarians after 190 people were allowed to enter the building.

Yoon’s cabinet later rescinded his decree and parliamentarians have since voted to remove him.

South Korea’s impeachment process means Yoon has been suspended from duty while a constitutional court decides whether to uphold his impeachment. If he does, he will be permanently removed from office.

His decision to declare a military government, which he said at the time was to counter “anti-state forces” in parliament, has been seen by some as an attempt to break a political deadlock since the opposition won in a landslide in April.

After his late-night speech announcing the decree, opposition parliamentarians and protesters gathered at the National Assembly, but were met by police and military who blocked the building.

When the parliamentarians were capable of forcing entryAccording to prosecutors, Yoon told the head of the capital’s defense command, Lee Jin-woo, that military forces could shoot if necessary to enter the National Assembly.

“Tell (your troops) to go to the voting chamber, four to each (lawmaker), and carry them out,” Yoon allegedly told General Lee.

“What are you doing? Break down the doors and drag them out.”

After parliamentarians voted to lift martial law, Yoon told General Lee to “move on” as he could declare martial law multiple times, the indictment says.

Prosecutors say the prosecution draws evidence from former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who was also charged on Friday for allegedly telling General Lee to follow Yoon’s orders several times on December 3.

He also reportedly ordered commanders to seize the National Election Commission building and arrest its employees, using cable ties, eye masks, ropes, baseball bats, and hammers that had been prepared by the military.

Kim will remain detained while awaiting trial, investigators said in a news release.

The martial law decree has plunged South Korea into weeks-long political turmoil.

Opposition politicians immediately called Yoon’s statement illegal and unconstitutional. The leader of his own party, the conservative People Power Party, also called Yoon’s law “the wrong move.”

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was also charged on Friday, according to the special investigation headquarters set up in the country’s prosecutor’s office.

On the same day, the National Assembly also voted to impeach its acting president, Han Duck-soo.

Han was supposed to lead the country out of its political instability, but opposition parliamentarians argued he was rejecting demands to complete Yoon’s impeachment process.

He has agreed to step aside, meaning the country’s Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok will become acting president.

Thousands of protesters have held rival demonstrations in South Korea, with some demanding Yoon’s arrest.

Attending a protest in Seoul on Saturday, Kwon Jung-hee told the BBC that Han’s impeachment felt like they had climbed “a small mountain.”

“But there are still too many mountains to climb, so I can’t stay at home; I have gone out with the mentality of protecting the country,” he said.

Political uncertainty has also made the economy suffer.

The currency has plummeted to its lowest level against the dollar since the global financial crisis 16 years ago.