{"id":2207516,"date":"2024-12-12T17:46:06","date_gmt":"2024-12-12T08:46:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2207516"},"modified":"2024-12-12T17:46:06","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T08:46:06","slug":"yoon-fights-for-political-survival-with-speech-targeting-legal-and-voter-battles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/12\/yoon-fights-for-political-survival-with-speech-targeting-legal-and-voter-battles\/","title":{"rendered":"Yoon fights for political survival with speech targeting legal and voter battles"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol\u2019s televised address on Thursday appears calibrated for both longer-term legal defense and immediate political mobilization, as he faces a second impeachment vote this Saturday and investigation for his Dec. 3 martial law declaration.<\/span><\/p>\n

His speech presents a strategically constructed narrative that could serve his legal defense against possible treason charges while simultaneously hitting traditional rallying points for South Korea\u2019s conservative base \u2014 from North Korean threats to election fraud concerns.<\/span><\/p>\n

Coming just two days before lawmakers vote on an impeachment motion, amid his own party leader\u2019s unsuccessful attempt to exclude him from presidential duties, Yoon\u2019s address notably focused on presenting his intention behind the martial law declaration.<\/span><\/p>\n

This emphasis, suggesting that his actions were to \u201crestore\u201d the constitutional order rather than subvert it, indicates he is laying the groundwork for both an impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court and potential criminal proceedings.<\/span><\/p>\n

The timing and content of the speech also suggest Yoon may be attempting to pressure ruling party lawmakers who are weighing whether to support his impeachment on Saturday.<\/span><\/p>\n

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South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol delivers a speech defending his martial law declaration, Dec. 12, 2024 | Image: ROK Presidential Office<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

LEGAL DEFENSE<\/b><\/p>\n

The main charge multiple investigators and the opposition party are focusing on is the crime of insurrection.<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout his address, Yoon emphasized that his martial law declaration was intended to protect rather than subvert constitutional order, a distinction that could prove crucial in potential legal proceedings where prosecutors must prove the objective of treason.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis emergency measure was not meant to damage the constitutional order but rather to inform citizens about the crisis facing our nation and to protect and restore the constitutional order,\u201d Yoon said.<\/span><\/p>\n

He appeared to address the key legal requirement for treason charges under South Korean law, which defines the crime as having \u201cthe purpose of disturbing the constitutional order.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The president described the scale and duration of the military deployment, stating that \u201cfewer than 300 unarmed soldiers\u201d were involved for \u201conly about two hours.\u201d He asked: “Can there be such a thing as a two-hour coup? How can maintaining order with a small number of troops be called an insurrection?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Yoon argued that he maintained transparency throughout the process, noting that the martial law was announced via public broadcast before any troops moved and that he immediately withdrew forces when parliament voted to lift the order.<\/span><\/p>\n

He compared this with historical martial law declarations \u2014 which were under military dictatorships \u2014 arguing that a genuine attempt to seize power would have involved thousands of troops, advance preparations, and measures like cutting power and communications to parliament.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond the operational details, Yoon dedicated significant time to establishing what he portrayed as legitimate grounds for perceiving a national emergency.<\/span><\/p>\n

He cited North Korea\u2019s hacking of election systems and detailed the election commission\u2019s alleged resistance to security inspections \u2014 suggesting he acted on genuine concerns about threats to constitutional institutions rather than seeking to overthrow them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yoon\u2019s emphasis on his personal threat assessment and claimed intention to protect constitutional order could provide his legal team with arguments against the required element of purposeful martial law \u2014 even if investigators later determine his perception of threats was mistaken or exaggerated.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t