Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho responds to lawmakers’ questions during a parliamentary session at the National Assembly on Dec. 5, 2024. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun ordered troops to infiltrate the National Assembly and block lawmakers from entering the compound during martial law, vice defense minister said Thursday.
Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho made the remark in response to a lawmaker’s question in a parliamentary session, as South Korea is reeling from the aftermath of the turmoil triggered by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s aborted declaration of martial law late Tuesday.
The martial law imposition lasted for six hours before it was rescinded by an Assembly vote to demand Yoon’s withdrawal of the order.
Kim said that he had opposed the troop deployment to implement the martial law and he “does not agree” to describing the Assembly as “a den of criminals,” an expression Yoon used during his televised announcement on the martial law declaration.
Asked about who wrote the martial law decree, Kim said that he cannot confirm the name, but it did not come from the defense ministry.
Defense Minister Kim stepped down Thursday over the martial law turmoil.
(Yonhap)
