South Korea’s President Yoon will fight charge of insurrection: lawyers
South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol may have been stripped of his powers but he is not going down without a fight according to his lawyers.
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South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol did not commit insurrection by declaring martial law and will fight the charge in court, his defence team vowed.
Yoon, who has been stripped of his duties by parliament, is under investigation for his December 3 declaration, which plunged the country into political turmoil and led to a weekend impeachment vote.
His defiance in the face of the insurrection charge has angered many South Koreans who have taken to the streets once again to protest.
Yoon’s imposition of martial law “does not meet the requirements to constitute insurrection … (we) will contest it in court”, said Seok Dong-hyeon of Yoon’s legal team, according to Yonhap news agency.
“While we do not consider the insurrection charges to be legally valid, we will comply with the investigation,” he added.
The comments came hours after Yonhap reported investigators had notified Yoon he faced possible arrest if he did not appear by Saturday for questioning over his attempt to suspend civilian rule.
Yoon is being investigated by South Korean prosecutors as well as a joint team of police, defence ministry and anti-corruption investigators.
The president and some of his inner circle face possible life imprisonment, or even the death penalty, if found guilty. He remains under a travel ban.
An investigation unit earlier Tuesday launched a raid on Yoon’s security service in an attempt to obtain phone records, the news agency said.
The same unit had previously asked that the suspended president appear to answer questions on Wednesday but were rebuffed by his office, an official told reporters.
Investigators requested Yoon appear at the office for questioning on charges of insurrection and abuse of power, they said.
But the summons “was returned as ‘undelivered’” by the presidential office, they said in a statement.
“The identity of the person who refused to accept it is unknown,” they added.
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YOON FACES ARREST FOR REFUSAL TO COOPERATE
South Korean prosecutors told impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol to appear by the weekend for questioning over his failed martial law bid or face possible arrest, the Yonhap news agency said.
Yoon, who was suspended from office by parliament, is being investigated over alleged insurrection by both South Korean prosecutors and a joint team of police, defence ministry and anti-corruption investigators.
The president and some of his inner circle face possible life imprisonment, or even the death penalty, if found guilty. He remains under a travel ban.
Prosecutors warned Yoon to appear for questioning over his martial law bid by Saturday or face a potential arrest warrant, Yonhap said citing the prosecution.
The joint investigation unit also launched a raid on Yoon’s security service in an attempt to obtain phone records, the news agency said.
The unit had previously asked that the suspended president appear to answer questions on Wednesday but were rebuffed by his office, an official told reporters.
Investigators requested Yoon appear at the office at 10am (0100 GMT) for questioning on charges of insurrection and abuse of power, they said.
But the summons “was returned as ‘undelivered’” by the presidential office, they said in a statement.
“The identity of the person who refused to accept it is unknown,” they added.
Meanwhile China has vowed to push for “healthy and stable” ties with South Korea after Seoul’s Constitutional Court launched proceedings against impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The South Korean parliament suspended Yoon from office over his short-lived attempt to suspend civilian rule, which plunged one of Asia’s biggest economies into its worst political turmoil in years.
The Constitutional Court has around six months to determine whether to uphold the impeachment.
“South Korea is China’s important close neighbour and friendly cooperative partner. Promoting the healthy and stable development of China-South Korea ties accords with the common interests of both sides,” Beijing’s foreign ministry said Monday at a regular press briefing.
“China’s policy towards South Korea is consistent and maintains stability,” ministry spokesman Lin Jian said, adding that “maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula is in the interests of all sides and demands that all sides make active efforts”.
Asked directly about the impeachment, Lin declined to comment, saying the matter was “South Korea’s internal affair”.
The South Korean government has meanwhile sought to project an air of business as usual.
Acting president Han Duck-soo held a call with US President Joe Biden, who underscored the strength of bilateral ties.
Han Duck-soo has also ordered the military to “enhance vigilance” against North Korea, with which the South technically remains at war.
North Korean state media decried Yoon as a “ringleader of rebellion” on Monday, its first reaction to his impeachment.
YOON RESISTS QUESTIONS AS COURT BEGINS IMPEACHMENT TRIAL
Yoon resisted investigators’ calls on Monday for him to answer questions over his failed bid to declare martial law this month.
South Korea’s Constitutional Court began proceedings against Yoon and has around six months to determine whether to uphold the impeachment.
Yoon and some of his inner circle face possible life imprisonment, or even the death penalty, if found guilty and he remains under a travel ban.
Prosecutors issued Yoon with a second summons on Monday for questioning over insurrection and abuse of power allegations after he “refused to comply” with a similar request a day earlier.
The joint investigation unit also asked that the suspended president appear to answer questions on Wednesday but were rebuffed by his office, Yonhap news agency said.
Investigators could seek a court-issued arrest warrant should he continue to refuse.
Fresh elections must be held within two months if his removal is upheld by the Constitutional Court.
A spokeswoman for the court said judges had pencilled in a preliminary hearing on December 27, which Yoon is not required to attend.
“During the preparatory hearing, investigation records from the prosecution, police, and other relevant authorities will be promptly secured,” spokeswoman Lee Jean told journalists.
“This case will be given top priority,” she said.
Police arrested both the current and former heads of the Defence Intelligence Command on Sunday in connection to the insurrection allegations, Yonhap reported.
Prosecutors also arrested the head of the Army Special Warfare Command Kwak Jong-keun, Yonhap said.
Kwak is accused of sending special forces troops to parliament during the martial law bid, sparking a dramatic confrontation between soldiers and parliamentary staff.
The head of Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP), who has not been linked to the martial law bid and expressed support for impeachment, also resigned on Monday.
“I sincerely apologise to all the people who have suffered due to the emergency martial law incident,” Han Dong-hoon told a news conference in Seoul.
In declaring martial law, Yoon vowed to “eliminate anti-state elements” and suggested South Korea’s electoral system was vulnerable to outside interference.
Han Dong-hoon condemned on Monday “extremists such as election fraud conspiracy theorists”.
Vast protests against Yoon, with smaller rallies supporting him, have rocked the South Korean capital since his martial law decree.
Demonstrators in both camps have vowed to keep up the pressure as the Constitutional Court mulls Yoon’s fate.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Yoon had attempted to shift responsibility for the “foolish emergency martial law declaration” onto opposition parties.
“The investigation into puppet Yoon Suk Yeol, the ringleader of the rebellion, and his accomplices is under way,” KCNA said.
“The puppet Constitutional Court will finally decide” on whether to remove Yoon, it said.
North Korean state media often refers to the South’s leaders and institutions as being a “puppet” of Seoul’s treaty ally, the United States.
KCNA previously described the South as being “in chaos” over the martial law order.
Relations between the two Koreas have been at one of their lowest points in years, with the North launching a flurry of ballistic missiles in violation of UN sanctions.
‘I WILL NOT GIVE UP’: IMPEACHED PRESIDENT STATES
Yoon declared he is not giving up on his beloved country despite hundreds of thousands of his citizens dancing in the street at the news of his ouster.
“(I will) stop temporarily for now, but the journey to the future that I’ve walked with the people for the past two years should not stop,” Yoon shared in his final statement from the presidential office.
“I will not give up. With all the encouragement and support for me in mind, I will do my best until the last moment for the nation.”
The statement came after Yoon took to national television to deliver a public address where he declared he would "step aside" after parliament voted to remove him from office, urging an end to "politics of excess and confrontation".
Out of 300 politicians, 204 voted to impeach the president on allegations of insurrection while 85 voted against. Three abstained, with eight votes nullified.
Two hundred votes were needed for the impeachment to pass, and opposition politicians needed to convince at least eight parliamentarians from Yoon’s conservative People Power Party (PPP) to switch sides.
“Today’s impeachment is the great victory of the people,” opposition Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae said following the vote.
A Seoul police official told AFP at least 200,000 people had massed outside parliament in support of removing the president.
On the other side of Seoul near Gwanghwamun square, police estimated 30,000 had rallied in support of Yoon, blasting patriotic songs and waving South Korean and American flags.
‘SAFEGUARD DEMOCRACY’
The main opposition Democratic Party said ahead of the vote that impeachment was the “only way” to “safeguard the Constitution, the rule of law, democracy and South Korea’s future”.
“We can no longer endure Yoon’s madness,” spokeswoman Hwang Jung-a said. At the rally outside parliament supporting impeachment, volunteers gave out free hand warmers on Saturday morning to fight the subzero temperatures, as well as coffee and food.
K-pop singer Yuri of the band Girl’s Generation — whose song “Into the New World” has become a protest anthem — said she had prepaid for food for fans attending the demonstration.
“Stay safe and take care of your health!” she said on a superfan chat platform.
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Originally published as South Korea’s President Yoon will fight charge of insurrection: lawyers
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