The legal team representing South Korea’s impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, asserted on Thursday that he did not commit insurrection during his controversial declaration of martial law earlier this month.
Yoon was impeached by parliament over the weekend following his short-lived martial law announcement on December 3, which plunged the nation into its most severe political crisis in decades.
The Constitutional Court initiated proceedings against Yoon on Monday and has approximately six months to determine whether his impeachment will be upheld.
Yoon is also under investigation by a coalition comprising police, the defense ministry, and anti-corruption authorities.
“How can a leader declare an insurrection during a live press conference?” questioned Seok Dong-hyeon, Yoon’s legal team spokesperson, during a press briefing in Seoul.
The martial law announcement, delivered on live television, was swiftly overturned by lawmakers hours later. “What kind of insurrection ends in two or three hours because parliament tells them to stop martial law?” Seok added.
The impeachment vote took place amid dramatic scenes in parliament, with lawmakers pushing through lines of soldiers to overturn Yoon’s declaration.
Protests against Yoon have engulfed the capital, although smaller rallies in his support have also been observed.
If convicted, Yoon and some of his close aides could face life imprisonment or even the death penalty. Yoon is currently under a travel ban but remains “clear and confident” in his defense, according to his legal team.
On Wednesday, Yoon failed to appear before the Corruption Investigation Office for questioning. That same day, the Constitutional Court directed Yoon to submit his martial law decree and records from cabinet meetings held before and after the announcement.
A preliminary hearing is set for December 27, though Yoon is not required to attend.
