South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol delivered a national address from the Presidential Office in Seoul on Thursday, vowing to fight "until the very last minute" in defense of his controversial decision to declare martial law and deploy troops to the country's parliament last week.
The South Korean leader, currently under investigation for the events of December 3-4, which shocked Seoul's allies and plunged the nation into political turmoil, is prohibited from foreign travel. Facing an impeachment vote in parliament on Saturday, Yoon pledged to "fight with the people until the very last minute." "I apologize again to the people who must have been surprised and anxious due to the martial law," he said in a televised address. "Please trust me."
The impeachment vote, scheduled for around 5pm on Saturday, requires the support of eight members of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority. PPP leader Han Dong-hoon urged party members to attend the meeting and vote "according to their conviction and conscience."
Meanwhile, police attempted another raid on Yoon's presidential office compound, as reported by Yonhap news agency, following a previous attempt blocked by security guards. The main opposition Democratic Party has threatened legal action for insurrection against the president's staff and security if they continue to obstruct law enforcement. Yonhap reported that Thursday's raid focused on the headquarters of the military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, which reportedly agreed to cooperate with the investigation.
South Korea's capital has seen daily protests since last week, with thousands demanding Yoon's resignation. Members of Yoon's inner circle have faced intense scrutiny for their alleged role in the martial law declaration. Police raided the headquarters of the military's capital defence command, which was deployed during the martial law declaration. Former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun, accused of urging Yoon to impose martial law, attempted suicide in prison on Tuesday, according to authorities.
The PPP has stated that, pending Yoon's resignation, he has agreed to transfer power to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and party chief Han. However, Yoon remained defiant on Thursday, accusing the opposition of pushing the country into a "national crisis." "The National Assembly, dominated by the large opposition party, has become a monster that destroys the constitutional order of liberal democracy," Yoon said in his televised address. But, he added, he would "not avoid legal and political responsibility regarding the declaration of martial law." Yoon had argued that his martial law declaration was intended to protect South Korea from threats posed by North Korea's communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements.
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