South Korean president vows to fight ‘until the very last minute’

SEOUL: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed on Thursday to fight “until the very last minute” in a defiant address defending his shock decision to declare martial law and deploy troops to the country´s parliament last week.

The South Korean president is barred from foreign travel as part of a probe into his inner circle over the dramatic events of December 3-4 that stunned Seoul´s allies and threw the country into some of its deepest political turmoil in years.

Yoon, staring down an impeachment vote in parliament on Saturday, vowed to “fight with the people until the very last minute”.

He went on the attack against the opposition, accusing it of pushing the country into a “national crisis”.

“The National Assembly, dominated by the large opposition party, has become a monster that destroys the constitutional order of liberal democracy,” Yoon said in his televised address.

Yoon also doubled down on his justification of declaring martial law, which he had said was taken to safeguard South Korea “from the threats posed by North Korea´s communist forces and eliminate anti-state elements”.

“I apologise again to the people who must have been surprised and anxious due to the martial law,” he added.

“Please trust me.”

Saturday´s impeachment vote will take place at around 5:00 pm (0800 GMT).

PPP leader Han Dong-hoon urged party members on Thursday to attend the meeting and vote “according to their conviction and conscience”.

“President Yoon Suk Yeol is no longer able to fulfil his duties as president, and I think that has become clearer and clearer,” he said.

The opposition formally submitted a second impeachment motion against Yoon on Thursday, following last week´s failed attempt to remove him from office after ruling party lawmakers largely boycotted the vote.

The bloc needs eight MPs from the ruling party to vote in favour of the impeachment, and several ruling lawmakers have indicated their intention to do so in the next vote, scheduled for Saturday.

To impeach Yoon, two-thirds of the parliament must vote in favour.

Police meanwhile attempted another raid on Yoon´s presidential office compound, Yonhap news agency reported, a day after a similar attempt was blocked by security guards.

The main opposition Democratic Party has said it would file legal complaints for insurrection against the president´s staff and security if they continued to obstruct law enforcement.

Yonhap said Thursday´s raid focused on the headquarters of the military´s Joint Chiefs of Staff, which reportedly agreed to cooperate with the investigation.

South Korea´s capital has been rocked by daily protests since last week, with thousands gathering to demand Yoon´s resignation.

Kim Jae-hee, 34, told AFP she would be hitting the streets on Saturday to protest for Yoon´s impeachment.

“I want to witness history,” she said. “I also know a lot of friends who are doing the same.”