South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has vowed to “fight until the end” attempts to remove him from office after his short-lived imposition of martial law, as police reportedly again attempted to raid his office as they investigate him over allegations of insurrection.
In a defiant and lengthy TV address on Thursday, Yoon defended his shock decision last week to impose martial law – a move designed to suspend political activities and press and civic freedoms – describing it as a legitimate “act of governance” and denied attempting to foment insurrection.
Two days before the national assembly is expected to vote a second time on Yoon’s impeachment, he repeated claims that he had been trying to defend the country from anti-state forces.
“I will fight to the end, to prevent the forces and criminal groups that have been responsible for paralysing the country’s government and disrupting the nation’s constitutional order from threatening the future of the Republic of Korea,” Yoon said.
He added that his martial law declaration, which lasted just six hours before parliament overturned it, had been meant to defend the liberal democracy and constitutional order against attacks from the liberal opposition.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday that police had attempted to search Yoon’s office, a day after its first raid was thwarted by presidential security guards. It wasn’t immediately clear if the second raid had been successful.
Speculation that South Korea’s political future could be decided via the ballot box increased after the ruling party selected Kweon Seong-dong, a veteran lawmaker, as its new floor leader. Despite being close to Yoon, Kweon said he would prepare for “a presidential election that could possibly be held soon”.
In his address, Yoon claimed his martial law decree did not amount to rebellion and could not be the subject of a criminal investigation.
“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?” Yoon said.
“I apologise again to the people who must have been surprised and anxious due to the martial law. Please trust me in my warm loyalty to the people.”
Yoon, a conservative whose time in office has been marked by controversy, much of it centering on his wife, survived an opposition-led impeachment vote last weekend after all but three members of his People Power party refused to take part.
His statement came hours before the main liberal opposition Democratic party was expected to submit a new impeachment motion that reports said would go to a vote on Saturday evening.
The leader of Yoon’s own party, Han Dong-hoon, said on Thursday that the president should be immediately suspended from his duties after declaring the short-lived martial law last week. Han said the only way to do so is for the ruling party lawmakers to vote for impeachment.
Yoon’s 3 December martial law decree has generated political chaos and protests calling for his resignation.
On Wednesday, Yoon’s office resisted a police attempt to search the compound.
The investigation is focusing on whether Yoon and other top military and government officials involved in imposing martial law committed rebellion. A conviction for rebellion carries a maximum penalty of death.
Earlier this week, Yoon’s former defence minister, Kim Yong-hyun, was arrested on allegations of playing a key role in a rebellion and committing abuse of power. He became the first person to be formally arrested over the martial law decree.
Kim, one of Yoon’s close associates, has been accused of recommending martial law to 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 4 December.