South Korean President Defends Martial Law, Dismisses Rebellion Allegations

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday justified his decision to impose martial law, describing it as a governance measure rather than an act of rebellion, as he rejected accusations and an impeachment push led by the opposition Democratic Party.

In a televised address, Yoon criticized opposition efforts to impeach him and vowed to resist what he called attempts to destabilize the government. “I will fight to the end to prevent the forces and criminal groups responsible for paralyzing our government and undermining the constitutional order from threatening the future of the Republic of Korea,” Yoon declared.

The remarks come as the Democratic Party prepares to submit a new impeachment motion against the conservative leader, with a floor vote expected on Saturday. An earlier impeachment attempt failed last week due to a boycott by ruling party lawmakers in the National Assembly.

Yoon defended the martial law decree, stating it was intended as a warning to the opposition for its alleged disruption of state affairs. He argued that deploying fewer than 300 soldiers to the National Assembly was meant to ensure order, not to dissolve or obstruct legislative functions.

“The opposition is performing a dangerous ‘knife dance’ of chaos, claiming that the martial law declaration amounts to rebellion,” Yoon said. “But was it really rebellion? The intent was to safeguard our constitutional integrity.”