South Korean president says martial law was an act of governance

Yoon Suk Yeol’s televised statement on Thursday came hours before the main liberal opposition Democratic Party submits a new impeachment motion against Mr Yoon.

“I will fight to the end, to prevent the forces and criminal groups that have been responsible for paralyzing the country’s government and disrupting the nation’s constitutional order from threatening the future of the Republic of Korea,” he said.

Mr Yoon said his martial law introduction was meant to defend the county’s liberal democracy and constitutional order in the face of the liberal opposition party, which he says threatens the constitution.

“The opposition is now doing a knife dance of chaos, claiming that the declaration of martial law constitutes to an act of rebellion. But was it really?” he said.

On Wednesday, Mr Yoon’s office resisted a police attempt to search the compound.

The opposition party plans to put the new impeachment motion in a floor vote on Saturday.

Its earlier attempt to impeach Mr Yoon fell through last Saturday with ruling party lawmakers boycotting a vote at the National Assembly.

Mr Yoon’s December 3 martial law decree has generated political chaos and protests calling for his removal.

Earlier this week, Mr Yoon’s former defence minister was arrested on allegations of playing a key role in a rebellion and committing abuse of power. He became the first person formally arrested over the martial law decree.

Kim Yong Hyun, one of Mr Yoon’s close associates, has been accused of recommending martial law to Mr Yoon and sending troops to the National Assembly to block lawmakers from voting on it.

Enough lawmakers eventually managed to enter a parliament chamber and they unanimously rejected Yoon’s decree, forcing the Cabinet to lift it before daybreak on December 4.

Officials said Mr Kim attempted to kill himself at a detention centre in Seoul after his arrest and was in a stable condition after centre officials.