Soldiers are 'victims' of martial law

(CLO) Colonel Kim Hyun-tae, commander of South Korea's 707th Special Forces Brigade, admitted on Monday that he received orders from the defense minister to block lawmakers from entering the National Assembly to prevent a vote to overturn martial law.

Colonel Kim said his unit carried out the raid on the National Assembly building on December 3 on orders from former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. However, he stressed that the force's actions were only in compliance with orders from above.

Soldiers leave after South Korea's parliament passed a motion asking for the lifting of martial law declared by President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul, South Korea, Dec. 4, 2024. Photo: Yonhap

"We are all victims of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. The members of Brigade 707 are not guilty. They were just carrying out their assigned missions," Kim said at a press conference outside the Defense Ministry in Seoul.

Colonel Kim also described that when soldiers landed on the National Assembly grounds to set up a fence to protect the main building, they were blocked by National Assembly staff, causing an unexpected confrontation.

President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law on December 3, citing threats from North Korea and “anti-state elements.” However, the order was quickly overturned after the National Assembly convened an emergency session, defying the lockdown, and declared the emergency measure null and void.

Mr Yoon is currently facing a criminal investigation into his role in imposing martial law. His impeachment vote on December 7 in the opposition-led National Assembly failed, plunging South Korea into a deep constitutional crisis.

Despite avoiding impeachment, President Yoon had earlier said he was entrusting his fate to the ruling PPP. However, he did not offer to resign.

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was arrested on Sunday on charges related to ordering the imposition of martial law and deploying troops to the National Assembly.

PPP leader Han Dong-hoon announced on Sunday that President Yoon will not be involved in foreign affairs or state affairs, instead handing over leadership to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and the PPP.

However, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik called the decision unconstitutional: "The presidential power is not the personal property of President Yoon Suk Yeol. The transfer of power without going through a clear constitutional process is a clear violation of the law."

The opposition led by the Democratic Party (DP) announced that it will once again propose impeachment of President Yoon on December 14.

The incident not only raised concerns about violations of state power but also recalled painful memories of the past period of military rule in South Korea.

Hong Hanh (according to Reuters, Yonhap)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/chi-huy-dac-nhiem-han-quoc-binh-linh-la-nan-nhan-cua-vu-thiet-quan-luat-post324734.html