Before South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial, an audio recording surfaced. It revealed that Yoon had ordered his commanders to drag lawmakers out of the National Assembly during a failed martial law attempt.
Military Officials Indicted for Insurrection
On Saturday, prosecutors indicted Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su and Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun. They face charges of inciting insurrection. Prosecutors claim that Yoon wanted to stop lawmakers from overturning his martial law, imposed on December 3.
Special Forces Deployed to Secure National Assembly
The investigation showed that Gen. Kwak sent special operations forces to the National Assembly under Yoon’s orders. Their mission was clear: secure the building and prevent anyone from entering. As a result, the officials face charges of abusing their powers.
Shocking Audio Evidence Surfaces
The audio, sent at 1 AM on December 4, captures a commander saying, “The president ordered us to break down the door and drag them out.” Another commander reported entering through the back door of the National Assembly. He faced fierce resistance from 40 people inside. He described the chaos in the main chamber, where lawmakers fought to vote on martial law.
Additional Evidence and Uncovered Memo
Investigators also found a memo on a special warfare command officer’s phone. It revealed that former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and others tried to prevent the parliament from lifting martial law. Additionally, the head of the Special Warfare Command was instructed by the Defense Counterintelligence Command to “delete” call logs and text messages related to the incident.
Standoff and Warrant Cancellation
After a tense 6-hour standoff between Yoon’s security and the investigative team, the arrest warrant for Yoon was canceled. This decision followed intense negotiations and conflict between the two sides.
