South Korea has officially initiated a criminal trial against former President Yoon Suk Yeol, following his ousting from office. Yoon is facing charges of insurrection related to his imposition of martial law in late 2024, which led to widespread protests and political upheaval.
In a court session on Monday, Yoon denied allegations of attempting a coup d’état, stating that his brief declaration of martial law was not intended to destabilize the country. He argued that the measure was a response to political obstruction by the majority opposition party, which had impeached over 20 officials, including the chief of the Board of Audit and Inspection.
Yoon, who was removed from office earlier this month by the Constitutional Court for violating constitutional powers, is accused of lacking legal grounds for declaring martial law. Prosecutors contend that the move incapacitated key government institutions.
Yoon, dressed in a dark navy suit and red tie, arrived at the Seoul Central District Court and spent roughly 40 minutes in the morning session defending his actions. He asserted that the martial law was meant to send a “peaceful message” to the nation, adding that he expected the declaration to last no longer than a day.
While acknowledging that he had informed former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun of his intentions, Yoon suggested that military officials may have exceeded the scope of the order due to training protocols based on various martial law scenarios.