South Korea’s president says martial law was an act of…

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s president has defended himself his martial law decree as an act of government and denied charges of rebellion on Thursday, rejecting opposition-led impeachment attempts against him and investigations in last week’s move.

Yoon Suk Yeol’s televised statement came hours before the main liberal opposition Democratic Party filed another impeachment motion against Yoon. The opposition party plans to put the motion to a vote this Saturday.

His previous attempt to impeach Yoon fell last Saturday after ruling party lawmakers boycotted a vote in the National Assembly.

Yoon’s martial law decree on December 3 sparked political chaos and protests calling for his removal.

“I will fight to the end to prevent the criminal forces and groups that have been responsible for paralyzing the country’s government and disrupting the nation’s constitutional order from threatening the future of the Republic of Korea,” Yoon said.

Yoon said the imposition of martial law was meant to defend the county’s liberal democracy and constitutional order against the opposition Liberal Party, which he says has crippled state affairs and threatened the constitution.

Yoo said his martial law decree was an act of government that cannot be investigated and does not amount to rebellion.

“The opposition is now doing a dance of chaos, claiming that the declaration of martial law is an act of rebellion. But was it really?” Yoon said.

WednesdayYoon’s office resisted the police’s attempt to search the compound.

The main focus of the investigation is to find out whether Yoon and other top military and government officials involved in the imposition of martial law committed rebellion. A conviction for rebellion carries the maximum penalty of death.

Earlier this week, Yoon’s former defense minister was arrested on charges of playing a key role in a rebellion and abuse of power. He became the first person officially arrested due to the martial law decree.

Kim, one of Yoon’s close associates, was 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 chamber of parliament and unanimously rejected Yoon’s decree, forcing the Cabinet to pick it up before sunrise on December 4th.