South Korea’s President is accused of ordering the use of guns to stop the martial law vote

Prosecutors allege that South Korea’s suspended president asked the military to use guns while trying to remove lawmakers from parliament while they voted to reject martial law. your.

On December 3, Yoon Suk Yeol ordered soldiers to “break down the doors and drag them away.” [politicians] out, even if it means shooting,” according to the indictment as part of the impeachment proceedings against him.

The order is believed to have been given to a general responsible for blocking Parliament during Yoon’s short-lived declaration of martial law – which was voted down by lawmakers after 190 people can enter the building.

Yoon’s cabinet later rescinded his decree and lawmakers voted to impeach him.

South Korea’s impeachment process means Yoon has been suspended from duty while the constitutional court decides whether to confirm his impeachment. If this happens, he will be permanently dismissed.

His decision to declare military rule – which he claimed at the time was to combat “anti-state forces” in parliament – was seen by some as an attempt to break the deadlock politics since the opposition won a landslide victory in April.

After his late-night speech announcing the decree, opposition lawmakers and protesters converged on Parliament, but were met by police and soldiers barricading the building.

When the MPs were Immigration can be forcedProsecutors said Yoon told the head of the capital’s defense command, Lee Jin-woo, that military forces could open fire if necessary to enter the National Assembly.

“Tell (your troops) to go to the voting booth, four (congressmen) each and execute them,” Yoon allegedly told General Lee.

“What are you doing? Break down the door and pull them out.”

The indictment said that after lawmakers voted to lift martial law, Yoon told General Lee to “move on” because he could declare martial law multiple times.

Prosecutors said the indictment drew evidence from former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun, who was also indicted on Friday for allegedly repeatedly asking General Lee to obey Yoon’s orders on December 3.

He also allegedly ordered commanders to seize the National Election Commission building and arrest its staff using cables, blindfolds, ropes, baseball bats and hammers that had been Army prepares.

Investigators said in a press release that Mr. Kim will be detained pending trial.

The martial law decree plunged South Korea into weeks of political chaos.

Opposition politicians immediately called Yoon’s statement illegal and unconstitutional. The head of his own party – the conservative People Power Party – also called out Yoon’s actions “one wrong step”.

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was also indicted on Friday, according to the Special Investigation Department, established at the country’s prosecution agency.

On the same day, the National Assembly also voted for impeachment its acting chairman, Han Duck-soo.

Han is expected to lead the country out of political unrest, but opposition lawmakers say he refused the request to complete the impeachment process against Yoon.

He agreed to step down, which means the country’s Finance Minister, Choi Sang-mok, will become acting president.

Thousands of protesters have held rival rallies in South Korea, with some demanding Yoon’s arrest.

Attending a protest in Seoul on Saturday, Kwon Jung-hee told the BBC that Han’s impeachment felt as if “a small mountain” had been climbed.

“But there are still too many mountains to climb so I can’t just stay home – I go out with the mentality of protecting the country,” she said.

Political instability also affects the economy.

The currency has fallen to its lowest level against the dollar since the global financial crisis 16 years ago.