South Korean president accused of ordering use of guns to stop martial law vote

Prosecutors say South Korea’s ousted president ordered soldiers to use guns as he tried to remove lawmakers from parliament as they voted against his martial law.

On December 3rd, Yoon Suk Yeol ordered the soldiers to “break down the doors and pull them out [politicians] going out, even if it meant firing a gun”, according to the decision as part of the charges against him.

The orders were reportedly given to a senior official accused of obstructing the National Assembly during Yoon’s declaration of martial law – which was voted down by MPs after 190 entered the house.

Yoon’s cabinet later reversed his decision, and MPs voted to impeach him.

The suspension by South Korea means Yoon has been suspended from his post while the Constitutional Court considers whether it can prove that he has not been accused. If they do, they will be removed from office forever.

His decision to declare military rule – which he said at the time to fight “anti-government forces” in parliament – was seen by some as an attempt to end the political conflict since the opposition won a landslide victory in April.

After a speech on the night of the announcement of the law, opposition and opposition MPs gathered at the Parliament, but were met by police and soldiers who blocked the building.

When the MP was able to force entryThe opposition said that Yoon told the head of the security headquarters, Lee Jin-woo, that the military could shoot if necessary to enter the National Assembly.

“Tell (your soldiers) to go to the voting room, four for each (legislator) to do it,” Yoon allegedly told Gen Lee.

“What are you doing? Hold the doors and pull them out.”

After MPs voted to impose martial law, Yoon told General Lee to “keep going” because he could declare martial law more than once, he said.

Prosecutors say the charges stem from former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who was also indicted on Friday for telling Gen Lee to follow Yoon’s orders several times on December 3.

He said he ordered officials to seize the National Elections Commission building and arrest its staff, using rope ties, face masks, ropes, baseball bats and hammers prepared by the military.

Kim will remain in custody pending trial, investigators said in a press release.

The martial law has plunged South Korea into weeks of political turmoil.

Opposition politicians immediately called Yoon’s announcement illegal and unconstitutional. The head of his party – the conservative People’s Power Party – also called out Yoon’s actions “going the wrong way”.

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was also indicted on Friday, according to the Special Investigation HQ, which is attached to the country’s prosecution office.

The same day, the National Assembly too voted against Their president, Han Duck-soo.

Han was supposed to lead the country out of the political crisis, but opposition lawmakers argued that he was rejecting his demands to finish the job of impeaching Yoon.

They have agreed to step down, which means that the country’s finance minister, Choi Sang-mok, will become the country’s leader.

Thousands of people have protested in South Korea, with some calling for Yoon’s arrest.

At a protest in Seoul on Saturday, Kwon Jung-hee told BBC Han that she felt like “one small mountain” had risen.

“But there are still too many mountains to climb, so I can’t stay at home – I’ve come out with the idea of ​​protecting the country,” he said.

Political uncertainty has also weighed on the economy.

The currency has fallen to its lowest value against the dollar since the global financial crisis 16 years ago.