South Korea formally held a criminal trial of former President Yoon Suk Yeol after taking office. Yoon faces allegations of uprising related to his implementation of martial law by the end of 2024, which has led to widespread protests and political unrest.
In court on Monday, the king denied allegations of attempting a coup, saying his brief announcement of martial law was not intended to undermine the country’s stability. He believes the measure is a response from the majority of opposition parties to political obstruction, with more than 20 officials in the impeachment, including the director of the Audit and Inspection Commission.
Yoon, who was removed from office by the Constitutional Court earlier this month for violating constitutional powers, was accused of lacking legal grounds for declaring martial law. The prosecutor argued that the move was powerless.
Yoon, wearing a black navy suit and a red tie, arrived at Seoul’s Central District Court and spent about 40 minutes defending his actions at the morning meeting. He asserted that the martial law was intended to send a “peace message” to the state, adding that he hoped the statement would last no more than one day.
Yoon, in admitting that he had informed former Secretary of Defense Kim Yang of his intentions, suggested that military officials might be outside the scope of the order under a training agreement based on a variety of martial arts scenarios.
