President Yoon Suk Yeol rejected allegations of insurrection over his short-lived martial law declaration on Dec. 3, his confidant told reporters Wednesday, stressing that the martial law decree was made to act against a national crisis.
Seok Dong-hyeon, a lawyer who wished to be identified as Yoon's aide until the president's defense team is officially launched, said that Yoon feels confident to deliver his thoughts “proudly” in court.
“Yoon apologized to the people for causing surprise and anxiety by the martial law imposition in the previous televised addresses. But, the president holds clear and confident stances against the legal charges,” Seok told the reporters at his office building in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, Thursday.
Seok stated that he believes the president's declaration of martial law was not a reflection of his frustrations in carrying out his duties, but rather a decision based on a genuine assessment of a national emergency.
"Yoon recognized the paralysis of state affairs, the collision of the president and the National Assembly, as the national crisis," the lawyer said.
When asked if Yoon believed the martial law declaration constituted an "act of insurrection," Seok stated that Yoon denied the notion, asserting he had never contemplated insurrection in the first place.
"Where in the world is there an insurrection where someone declares through a press conference, broadcast to the people and the world, 'I am staging an insurrection'? And where is there an insurrection that ends just because the National Assembly tells them to stop within two or three hours?" he said.
Seok added there was no reason for the prosecutor-turned-president, a legal professional, to talk about arrests. Multiple military and police officials have claimed that Yoon directly ordered the removal of lawmakers ahead of the vote to lift martial law.
"And even if he did, where would he take them? I hope the public and the media consider such common sense," the lawyer said, explaining the reasons insurrection charges cannot be established will be announced by Yoon or his lawyers later on.
Though Seok stressed that he communicates "enough" with Yoon, the 64-year-old lawyer refused to make any official statement about the president’s schedule, including the decision on whether to comply with summons from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials or appear in court.
“Not a single lawyer is ‘officially appointed’ in the president’s defense team. All I can say is that either Yoon or his lawyers will make public statements regarding the legal procedures when the team is completed,” Seok said, adding that he could not confirm an exact date for Yoon’s lawyers to be appointed.
After Yoon was suspended from his duties on Dec. 14, the president was asked by a Constitutional Court justice to provide written answers for his impeachment trial by next week.
Meanwhile, the CIO, which took over the case involving the president from the prosecution to prevent any controversy on overlapping investigations, will send a second summons to Yoon for questioning at the Government Complex Gwacheon in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province.
The date for that questioning is yet to be announced.
While the Constitutional Court is scheduled to decide whether to uphold or dismiss Yoon’s impeachment, the CIO will investigate the president of his charges of insurrection and abuse of power in connection with the martial law declaration on Dec. 3.
“I personally think the Constitutional Court is appropriate to judge the president’s constitutional decisions, not the National Office of Investigation or the CIO,” Seok said.
