South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol denies ordering arrest of lawmakers in impeachment trial

Suspended South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol made his first appearance at his impeachment trial, where he denied ordering the arrest of lawmakers during his attempt to impose martial law.

Parliament voted to impeach Yoon last month and last week. the constitutional court began a trial decide whether to permanently remove him from office.

Yoon also faces a separate criminal investigation into whether he led an insurrection. He has been detained since last week.

Security was tight Tuesday as Yoon was transported by van from the detention center, where he is being held, to the constitutional court.

Police formed human walls and erected riot barricades to prevent hundreds of his supporters who had gathered nearby from getting too close. Violence broke out last weekend when dozens of Yoon supporters clashed with authorities and broke into another court.

On Tuesday, Yoon was asked if he had ordered military commanders to “drag” lawmakers out of parliament the night he declared martial law, to prevent them from revoking his order.

He replied: “No.”

Military commanders had previously alleged that Yoon had given such an order on December 3, after lawmakers scaled fences and broke through barricades to enter the parliament building and vote against Yoon’s declaration of martial law.

“I am a person who has lived with a firm belief in liberal democracy,” Yoon said in his opening remarks Tuesday.

“As the constitutional court exists to safeguard the Constitution, I ask you to carefully examine all aspects of this case,” he told the judges.

During the hearing, which lasted nearly two hours, Yoon and his lawyers argued that the martial law order was “a formality that should not be executed.”

Yoon had cited threats from “anti-state forces” and North Korea when he declared martial law, but it soon became clear that his move had been prompted not by external threats but by his own internal political problems.

Lawyers prosecuting the case, who were selected by parliament, accused Yoon and his lawyers of making “largely contradictory, irrational and unclear” comments.

“If they continue to evade responsibility as they did today, it will only work against them in the impeachment trial and cause even greater disappointment among the public,” prosecutors told reporters after the hearing.

Outside the courtroom, his supporters became more agitated and aggressive as they demanded that Yoon be released and restored to office immediately.

They were forced to keep a certain distance from the court due to strict security measures. Waving their trademark combination of Korean and American flags, some wore Maga-style baseball caps with the slogan “Make Korea Free Again,” an echo of the campaign slogan used by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Some of their chants included calls for the execution of the leader of South Korea’s main opposition party, Lee Jae Myung, and the investigator leading Yoon’s criminal case.

Several of his supporters told the BBC they believed Yoon’s declaration of martial law was an attempt to protect the country’s democracy.

They accused the opposition party of being pro-China and pro-North Korea, and of wanting to turn South Korea into a communist country.

“This is a conflict between people who pursue communism and people who pursue democracy,” said Wongeun Seong, a 49-year-old businessman who joined the protest while returning from lunch.

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyunwho allegedly suggested martial law to Yoon, will testify during the next hearing on Thursday.

Yoon will be removed from office if at least six of the eight members of the constitutional court vote to confirm the impeachment. Presidential elections must then be called within 60 days.

South Korea has been in political chaos since December 3. Thousands of protesters and Yoon supporters have taken to the streets several times despite the winter cold.

The crisis has hit the country’s economy, with the won weakening and global credit rating agencies warning of weakening consumer and business confidence.

Additional reporting by Hosu Lee in Seoul