South Korea's president says he is ready for impeachment

President Yun Seok-yol of the Republic of Korea expressed his unwillingness to leave office and resign in an address to the country. He stated that he is ready to go through impeachment proceedings or an investigation against him. Yonhap News Agency reported on Dec. 12.

"Regardless of whether they announce impeachment or launch an investigation against me, I will honestly confront it," the South Korean president said.

Yun Seok-yol said he used his presidential powers to declare martial law "to protect the nation and normalize state affairs" against the opposition. He characterized it as a "calibrated political judgment."

Coup d'état: South Korea has imposed and lifted martial law

Military vehicles have appeared on the streets of Seoul

Earlier on Dec. 11, South Korean police searched President Yun Seok-yol's administration as well as police departments. The searches are being conducted by a special investigation team to investigate martial law-related activities.

On Dec. 9, South Korean President Yun Seok-yol was banned from leaving the country amid an investigation into his order to temporarily impose martial law. At that time, it was also reported that the police imposed a travel ban on former South Korean Interior Minister and Minister of Public Administration and Security Lee Sang-min. Former ROK Armed Forces counterintelligence commander Yoo In-hyun and Army Chief of Staff Park Ahn-soo, who was appointed martial law commander, were also banned from leaving the country.

Before that, the Korean Newsis news agency reported on Dec. 8 that South Korea's Minister of Interior and Security Lee Sang-min had resigned. His decision was approved by the country's President Yun Seok-yeol. On the same day, the South Korean prosecutor's office assigned Yoon Seok-yol the status of a suspect in the case of rebellion against the state system. The Prosecutor's Office of the Republic has launched an investigation into the statement of opposition MPs about treason of the Korean president.

Before that, on December 7, the National Assembly (Parliament) of the Republic of Korea failed to get the necessary number of votes to impeach the president of the country. To declare impeachment, 200 deputy votes were needed, and only 195 deputies voted.

Yun Seok-yol declared martial law in the country on December 3. He cited the threat of power paralysis caused by attempts to conduct impeachment proceedings as the reason for the move. Commander of the emergency regime, Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces Park Ahn-soo noted that until martial law is lifted in the republic, the activities of the parliament, political parties and associations are prohibited. Military equipment was brought to the streets of Seoul.

The opposition party of the republic, in turn, demanded the resignation of the head of state and said it intended to charge Yoon Seok-yeol with treason. At the same time, all heads and senior secretaries of the presidential administration of South Korea resigned. In addition, the trade unions of the republic announced a general strike.