ReutersProsecutors allege the suspended South Korean president told the military to use weapons while it tried to remove lawmakers from parliament as they voted on his martial law decree.
On Dec. 3, Yoon Suk Yeol authorized soldiers to “break down the doors and drag them (politicians) out, even if it meant firing weapons,” according to an indictment as part of an impeachment trial against him.
The orders were said to have been given to a general tasked with blockading the National Assembly during Yoon’s short-lived declaration of martial law – which was rejected by lawmakers after 190 people were allowed into the building.
Yoon’s cabinet later repealed his decree and MPs have since voted to impeach him.
EPASouth Korea’s impeachment process means Yoon has been suspended from his duties while a constitutional court decides whether to uphold his removal from office. If this is the case, he will be permanently removed from office.
His decision to declare military rule – which he said at the time was to counter “anti-state forces” in parliament – was seen by some as an attempt to break a political stalemate since the opposition won a landslide victory in April.
After his late-night speech announcing the decree, opposition MPs and protesters gathered at the National Assembly but were met by police and military personnel who barricaded the building.
When MPs were able to force entryAccording to prosecutors, Yoon told the capital’s defense command chief, Lee Jin-woo, that the armed forces could fire if necessary to invade the National Assembly.
“Tell (your troops) to go to the voting chamber, four for each (legislator) and execute them,” Yoon reportedly told General Lee.
“What are you doing? Break down the doors and drag them out.”
After lawmakers voted to lift martial law, Yoon told Gen. Lee to “go ahead” because he could declare martial law multiple times, the indictment says.
Prosecutors say the charges are based on evidence from former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who was also indicted on Friday for allegedly ordering General Lee multiple times on Dec. 3 to follow Yoon’s orders.
He also reportedly ordered commanders to occupy the National Election Commission building and arrest his staff using military-prepared cable ties, eye masks, ropes, baseball bats and hammers.
Kim will remain in custody until his trial, investigators said in a news release.
The martial law decree plunged South Korea into weeks of political unrest.
Opposition politicians immediately described Yoon’s statement as illegal and unconstitutional. The leader of his own party – the conservative People’s Power Party – also called out Yoon’s act “the wrong move”.
Former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun was also charged on Friday, the country’s special investigation center said.
On the same day also the National Assembly voted for impeachment its incumbent president, Han Duck-soo.
Han was supposed to lead the country out of its political instability, but opposition lawmakers argued that he rejected calls to complete the impeachment trial against Yoon.
He has agreed to step down, meaning the country’s finance minister, Choi Sang-mok, will become acting president.
Thousands of protesters have held rival rallies in South Korea, with some calling for Yoon’s arrest.
As he attended a protest rally in Seoul on Saturday, Kwon Jung-hee told the BBC that Han’s ouster felt like “a small mountain” had been climbed.
“But there are still too many mountains to climb, so I can’t just stay home – I’ve adopted the mindset of protecting the country,” she said.
The political uncertainty has also affected the economy.
The currency has fallen to its lowest level against the dollar since the global financial crisis 16 years ago.
