Legal Counsel for South Korean President Refutes Insurrection Allegations Once More
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Seoul, Dec 19 (NationPress) A legal representative for the impeached South Korean leader Yoon Suk Yeol once again refuted the allegations of insurrection on Thursday, asserting that any individual with the intent to provoke an insurrection would not have acted as Yoon did by announcing martial law in front of a global audience.
Seok Dong-hyeon, who plays a crucial role in establishing Yoon's legal defense, presented this assertion as the President faces an investigation regarding insurrection charges linked to his brief declaration of martial law on December 3. He is currently suspended from his duties while awaiting a trial by the Constitutional Court concerning his impeachment initiated by the National Assembly, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
“From President Yoon's viewpoint, he has never even contemplated insurrection,” Seok stated to journalists at his law office in Seoul. “What type of insurrection involves someone announcing through a press conference to the public and the entire world, 'I am about to stage an insurrection?' And what kind of insurrection is rescinded within two to three hours due to the National Assembly's rejection?”
Seok was referring to the televised address delivered by Yoon on the night of December 3, where he declared martial law, followed by the revocation of the decree just hours later after the National Assembly voted against it.
“The President instructed the military and police not to engage in conflict with citizens,” the lawyer added. “As a jurist, why would the President mention arrests? If there were arrests, where would the detainees be taken? I urge the public and the media to consider such common sense.”
These statements from Seok stand in opposition to testimonies from several high-ranking military officials, who state that Yoon commanded troops to forcibly remove lawmakers from the National Assembly to prevent them from voting against the decree and also instructed the arrest of notable politicians during the implementation of martial law.
Seok expressed that he does not believe Yoon declared martial law due to personal grievances stemming from challenges in governance or personal humiliation, but rather based on the assessment that the country was genuinely in a state of emergency.
Seok and Yoon have been acquainted for over 40 years, having both studied at Seoul National University School of Law.
