South Korea’s Former Leader Yoon Suk Yeol Rejects Coup Allegations Over Martial Law Declaration
South Korea’s recently impeached President, Yoon Suk Yeol, insisted in court today that his brief declaration of martial law late last year “was not a coup d’état.” Mr Yoon appeared at the Seoul Central District Court facing charges of inciting insurrection, charges he strenuously denies.
The controversial martial law, lasting only around six hours before it was swiftly lifted amid strong parliamentary opposition and intense public protests, plunged the nation into sustained political upheaval. It ultimately resulted in Mr Yoon’s removal from office this month by Constitutional Court justices, who concluded that he had overstepped his constitutional authority.
Arriving under tight security and accompanied by a motorcade, Mr Yoon entered the courtroom firmly asserting his innocence and characterizing the prosecution’s accusations as baseless.
Prosecutors argue Mr Yoon lacked legal justification for imposing martial law, accusing him of intentionally attempting to incapacitate state institutions, notably parliament.
Rejecting these allegations strongly, Mr Yoon—formerly South Korea’s chief prosecutor—spent roughly forty minutes defending his actions. He emphasized his intent was never to disrupt national stability, but rather to highlight what he considered obstruction tactics by the majority opposition party. The opposition had previously impeached over 20 senior officials, including the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection, a move Mr Yoon viewed as highly dangerous.
“Martial law is not a coup d’état,” stated Mr Yoon before the judges. “This was a peaceful ‘message martial law’ to the nation. I always knew it would end within half-a-day, maybe a day.”
Mr Yoon further argued there was some miscommunication with military officials implementing his order, who possibly exceeded instructions due to what he described as standard military protocol.
In the afternoon hearings, two senior military officials are expected to testify. Among them is Cho Sung-hyun from the army’s capital defense command, who previously testified before the Constitutional Court in February. At that hearing, Cho alleged receiving direct orders to deploy soldiers into parliament and physically remove politicians.
Mr Yoon has firmly denied this serious allegation.
The martial law declaration on 3 December, justified by Mr Yoon as necessary to root out “anti-state elements,” was quickly rescinded after parliamentary personnel prevented special forces soldiers from entering the parliament building by erecting makeshift barricades and using fire extinguishers. The parliament then successfully voted to reject the martial law declaration.
Insurrection charges carry severe legal consequences in South Korea, potentially leading to life imprisonment or even the death penalty—though no one has been executed in decades.
The Constitutional Court, in its ruling removing Mr Yoon, pointed out that the brief period of martial law caused extensive turmoil across political, economic, and diplomatic spectra. It said the decision destabilized democracy and further exposed already deep societal divisions between liberals and conservatives, placing immense strain on military and state institutions.
Since his impeachment, Mr Yoon has returned to his private residence, greeted by supportive crowds and conservative sympathizers. Remaining defiant and committed, he promised supporters: “I will stand by you.”
Meanwhile, the opposition Democratic Party sharply criticized Mr Yoon today for refusing to apologize sincerely, calling his stance “delusional.”
South Korea now prepares for a snap presidential election set for 3 June. Uncertainty surrounds the possibility of Mr Yoon maintaining any future political role.
Lee Jae-myung, opposition leader and current presidential front-runner in latest polls, used the opportunity today to stress his progressive economic platform. Visiting an innovative start-up specializing in artificial intelligence semiconductor manufacturing, Lee vowed to aggressively boost the AI industry with relaxed regulations and strategic investments.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
