SEOUL: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol gave an order to “drag out” lawmakers from parliament after he declared martial law on Dec 3, an army commander said on Tuesday (Dec 10) amid concerns of a power vacuum with Yoon’s office saying it had “no official position” on who was running the country.
Yoon is now the subject of criminal investigations on insurrection charges. He has apologised for the failed attempt to impose martial law but has not accepted growing calls for him to step down, even from some members of his own party.
Yoon said on Saturday he was entrusting his legal and political fate in the hands of his ruling People Power Party (PPP). The party said on Tuesday that it was discussing Yoon’s potential resignation as early as February and holding a snap election in April or May.
Yoon’s surprise martial law declaration stunned the country and plunged Asia’s fourth-largest economy and a major U.S. ally in the region into a constitutional crisis, sending shockwaves through diplomatic and economic fronts.
Yoon’s office, when asked by Reuters who was running South Korea, said it had “no official position to offer” but referred to past statements by the foreign and defence ministries.
The defence ministry spokesman said on Monday Yoon was still commander in chief and the foreign ministry spokesman said state affairs including foreign affairs “were being conducted under a process laid out in the Constitution and the law.”
Kwak Jong-geun, the commander of the Army Special Warfare Command, told a parliament committee that he had received multiple telephone calls from Yoon as the events unfolded overnight after the martial law declaration.
“He said break the door down right now and get in there and drag out the people inside,” Kwak, referring to members of parliament who were starting to gather inside the main chamber to vote on ordering Yoon to rescind the martial law order.
Kwak said he decided not to execute Yoon’s order.
Yoon rescinded the martial law six hours later after the parliament’s vote.
The testimony by the special forces commander differed from earlier statements by military officers that it was the defence minister at the time, Kim Yong-hyun, who gave the order to extract lawmakers from the parliament chamber.
Kim has since resigned and has been arrested.
Yoon was banned from leaving the country and faces a second impeachment vote planned for Saturday.
Lee Yang-soo, who chairs a PPP task force launched on Monday to map out Yoon’s eventual and “orderly” departure, said his team proposed the idea of having Yoon resign in February or March and holding an election two months later.
South Korea’s constitution requires an election within 60 days of his departure if Yoon leaves office before his single five-year term ends in May 2027.
“We’ve not yet reached a conclusion partywide and will have another meeting with all our members of parliament in the afternoon to discuss that plan,” Lee told reporters.
The idea came three days after PPP leader Han Dong-hoon said the president would be excluded from foreign and other state affairs, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would oversee the government.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) criticised the announcement, saying it is unconstitutional and Yoon must be impeached or resign and face legal prosecution.
Kim Seon-taek, a professor at Korea University’s law school, said the president can delegate authority to the prime minister. Chang Young-soo, another professor from the same school, echoed Kim’s view but said there is debate on whether the prime minister has the authority to act as head of state on diplomatic matters.
