South Korean President Yun Suk-yeol denies arresting lawmakers in impeachment trial

Suspended South Korean President Yun Suk-yeol has denied ordering the arrest of lawmakers in an attempt to impose martial law.

Parliament voted to impeach him last month and last week The Constitutional Court started a case To decide to remove him from the office permanently.

Yunu is facing a separate criminal investigation into whether or not he led the riots. He has been detained since last week.

Security was tight as Yun was transported by van from the prison where he was being held to the Constitutional Court on Tuesday.

Police built human walls and erected riot barriers to keep the hundreds of supporters who had gathered in the area from getting too close. Last weekend saw violence as dozens of Yoon supporters clashed with law enforcement. He broke another court.

On Tuesday, Yun was asked whether military commanders had ordered lawmakers to “kick” lawmakers out of parliament the night he declared martial law, lest the order be revoked.

He replied, “No.”

Military commanders had previously alleged that Yoon issued such an order on December 3, after lawmakers climbed a fence to enter the parliament building and vote on Yoon’s declaration of martial law.

“I am a firm believer in liberal democracy,” Yun said in his opening speech on Tuesday.

“The Constitutional Court is there to protect the Constitution, so I ask you to look into all the cases thoroughly,” he told the judges.

In the two-hour hearing, Yun and his lawyers argued that the martial law order was “an unintended formality.”

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

The lawyers prosecuting the case, appointed by parliament, accused Yoon and his lawyers of making “largely contradictory, illogical and vague” opinions.

In a statement to reporters after the hearing, he said, “If they continue to evade responsibility as they are today, it will only work against them in the trial and create more resentment among the public.”

Outside the courthouse, supporters grew angrier, demanding that Yu be released from prison and returned to office immediately.

Those were forced to stand some distance from the court due to security reasons. Waving their trademark Korean and American flags, some wore Maga-style baseball caps emblazoned with the slogan “Make Korea Free Again,” echoing a campaign slogan used by US President Donald Trump.

Their songs included calls for the death of Lee Jae-myung, the leader of South Korea’s main opposition party, and the detective leading Yoon’s criminal case.

Several supporters told the BBC they believed the declaration of UN martial law was an attempt to protect the country’s democracy.

They accused the opposition party of being pro-China and pro-North Korea and wanting to turn South Korea into a communist country.

“This is a conflict between people who follow communism and people who follow democracy,” said Wongen Seong, a 49-year-old businessman who joined the rally after returning from a lunch meeting.

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyunWho proposed martial law to Yoon, will be a witness during the next hearing on Thursday.

If at least six of the eight-member Constitutional Court benches vote in favor of the charges, Yon will be removed from office. A presidential election must be called within 60 days.

South Korea has been in political turmoil since December 3rd. Thousands of Yun’s opponents and supporters took to the streets several times despite the winter cold.

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

Additional reporting by Hosu Lee in Seoul