South Korea: Parliamentary Committee to Call Yoon as Witness in Martial Law Hearing
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Synopsis
A South Korean parliamentary committee will summon impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol and other key officials for a hearing regarding his failed martial law declaration. The first session is scheduled for January 22, as the committee investigates insurrection allegations.
Key Takeaways
- Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol summoned as a witness.
- The hearing on martial law declaration is set for January 22.
- 75 officials called to testify, including former ministers.
- Committee formed to investigate insurrection allegations.
- Military's role during martial law is under scrutiny.
Seoul, Jan 14 (NationPress) The special parliamentary committee in South Korea has decided to summon the impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol as a witness for its upcoming hearing regarding his failed martial law declaration set for next week, along with other significant officials linked to the incident.
The committee has scheduled its first hearing for January 22, with Yoon and 75 other officials, including former defense and interior ministers Kim Yong-hyun and Lee Sang-min, being called to testify.
This specialized 18-member committee was established late last month to investigate the insurrection allegations against Yoon until February 13.
Earlier in the day, the committee held its initial inquiry into the defense ministry and other military leaders purportedly involved in the scenario.
Key witnesses, including Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su, who acted as the martial law commander, and Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun, chief of the Army Special Warfare Command, attended the session.
However, Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung, head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, who is accused of deploying troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission and ordering the arrest of leaders from both the ruling and main opposition parties, was absent from the meeting.
During the session, lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the primary opposition Democratic Party (DP) had heated exchanges regarding the legitimacy of the martial law declaration.
The PPP also condemned the DP for including claims that Yoon committed 'treason' by allegedly trying to provoke foreign aggression in a new special investigation bill, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers raised concerns about the military's involvement during the martial law enforcement.
"The military that was mobilized during the martial law was on standby with over 180,000 rounds of ammunition," DP Rep. Min Hong-chul stated during his inquiry into Kwak, criticizing the situation as an attempt to "transform Seoul into a second Gwangju," referencing the 1980 massacre of pro-democracy protests in the southwestern city.
