South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol denies ordering the arrest of lawmakers during impeachment trial

Ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol appeared for the first time in his impeachment trial, where he denied ordering the arrest of lawmakers during his attempt to impose martial law.

Parliament voted to impeach Yun last month and last week The Constitutional Court opened a case to decide whether to permanently remove him from office.

Yun also faces a separate criminal investigation into whether he led a rebellion. He has been detained since last week.

On Tuesday, security was tightened as Yun 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. Last weekend saw violence as scores of Yun supporters clashed with law enforcement and broke into another courthouse.

On Tuesday, Yun was asked whether he had ordered military commanders to “withdraw” lawmakers from parliament the night he declared martial law to prevent them from overturning his order.

He replied, “No.”

Military commanders previously claimed that Yun gave such an order on December 3, after lawmakers scaled fences and smashed through barricades to enter the parliament building and reject Yun’s declaration of martial law.

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

“Since the constitutional court exists to protect the constitution, I ask you to consider thoroughly 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 not intended to be carried out.”

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

The lawyers handling the case, who were elected by parliament, accused Yun 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 more public frustration,” prosecutors told reporters after the hearing.

Outside the courtroom, his supporters became more agitated and aggressive as they demanded Yun be freed and reinstated immediately.

They were forced away from the court due to heightened security. Waving their trademark combination of Korean and American flags, some wore Maga-style baseball caps emblazoned with the slogan “Make Korea Free Again,” an echo of the campaign slogan used by US President Donald Trump.

Some of their chants included calls to execute the leader of South Korea’s main opposition party, Lee Jae-myung, and the investigator leading Yun’s criminal case.

Several supporters told the BBC they believed Yun’s martial law declaration 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 on his way back from lunch.

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

Yun will be removed from office if at least six of the eight-member constitutional court vote to support impeachment. Then presidential elections must be called within 60 days.

South Korea has been in political chaos since December 3rd. Thousands of Yun’s protesters and supporters took to the streets repeatedly despite the winter cold.

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

Additional reporting by Hosu Lee in Seoul