South Korean lawyers urge impeachment of president Yeol, accuse him of seeking "dictatorship"

South Korean parliamentary lawyers have called for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, accusing him of attempting to establish a dictatorship following his brief declaration of martial law in December.

During the final arguments at his impeachment trial on February 25, the lawyers drew comparisons between Yoon and past autocratic leaders, such as Park Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan, arguing that his actions threatened the democratic principles of the country, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Lee Kwang-beom, a lawyer representing parliament, claimed that Yoon’s declaration of martial law on December 3 was made without constitutional grounds and amounted to an abuse of power.

He suggested that Yoon sought to create a system where his words would become enshrined in the constitution, akin to dictatorial rule. “We call this dictatorship,” Lee stated, adding that Yoon’s actions undermined his role as president in a democratic republic.

Yoon’s decision to declare martial law was only in effect for six hours before being rescinded, but it triggered a constitutional crisis and prompted the impeachment of the prime minister, who temporarily assumed the role of acting president. The move also led to widespread political upheaval, with critics arguing that the president’s actions were aimed at suppressing opposition forces and consolidating power.

In his own defence, President Yoon insisted that his decision was lawful and necessary to protect the nation from what he described as “anti-state forces” and pro-North Korea sympathisers. He denied claims that he was attempting to undermine democracy, stating that his purpose was to inform the public of a national crisis and to safeguard against the opposition’s parliamentary majority.

Yoon dismissed accusations that his martial law announcement was a step towards dictatorship, stressing that he never intended to impose full martial rule.

Despite Yoon’s defence, critics have warned that his actions reflect a broader tendency towards authoritarianism. Parliament’s lawyers pointed out that his false claims of election fraud, which they labelled as conspiracy theories, have severely damaged public trust in the electoral system.

The Constitutional Court is expected to deliberate on whether Yoon will be removed from office. If the court upholds the impeachment, a new presidential election will be required within 60 days. The ruling may take several days, but the case is expected to have significant implications for South Korea’s political future.

By Aghakazim Guliyev