South Korea's constitutional court held its fourth hearing Thursday in the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk-yeol, as shocking new allegations surfaced about his role in last year's parliamentary crisis. The arrested leader attended in person, marking his second courtroom appearance this week.
During testimony, Yoon defended his controversial decision to impose martial law in December 2023, claiming it 'ended earlier than expected' rather than failed. This contradicted explosive claims from a former National Intelligence Service (NIS) official, who testified that Yoon ordered opposition politicians to be 'rounded up and removed' minutes after declaring emergency measures.
Court documents reveal even more dramatic details: Prosecutors allege Yoon urged military commanders to storm parliament using armed troops, reportedly saying they should 'fire guns' and 'use axes' to break through doors. TV footage from the night shows helicopters landing at the National Assembly as hundreds of special forces moved in.
In a courtroom showdown, Yoon questioned former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun about troop numbers during the crisis. 'There weren't many soldiers in the main building,' the president insisted—but Kim countered there were about 280 special forces present.
With four more hearings scheduled in February, this political drama could reshape South Korea's leadership landscape. Yoon, currently detained near Seoul, has already made history as the country's first sitting president formally arrested while in office.
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South Korea's constitutional court held its fourth hearing Thursday in the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk-yeol, as shocking new allegations surfaced about his role in last year's parliamentary crisis. The arrested leader attended in person, marking his second courtroom appearance this week.
During testimony, Yoon defended his controversial decision to impose martial law in December 2023, claiming it 'ended earlier than expected' rather than failed. This contradicted explosive claims from a former National Intelligence Service (NIS) official, who testified that Yoon ordered opposition politicians to be 'rounded up and removed' minutes after declaring emergency measures.
Court documents reveal even more dramatic details: Prosecutors allege Yoon urged military commanders to storm parliament using armed troops, reportedly saying they should 'fire guns' and 'use axes' to break through doors. TV footage from the night shows helicopters landing at the National Assembly as hundreds of special forces moved in.
In a courtroom showdown, Yoon questioned former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun about troop numbers during the crisis. 'There weren't many soldiers in the main building,' the president insisted—but Kim countered there were about 280 special forces present.
With four more hearings scheduled in February, this political drama could reshape South Korea's leadership landscape. Yoon, currently detained near Seoul, has already made history as the country's first sitting president formally arrested while in office.
