On Tuesday night, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who messed up the implementation of the marriage law in the country, accepted the resignation of Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun and nominated the ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Choi Byung Hyuk, as the new defense minister.
Kim offered his resignation on Wednesday and was reportedly seen as the prime mover to impose martial law in South Korea, which had to be overturned within hours under pressure from President Yoon and blocked by parliament.
A senior military official and members of the opposition said in files impeaching President Yun that Kim had recommended that Yun declare martial law, the report said. Reuters.
Choi, the newly appointed Defense Minister, was described by Yun’s chief of staff, Chung Jin-suk, as “a man of principle who fulfills his duties with dedication and obeys the rules”.
Police officers block protesters outside the National Assembly after South Korean President Yun Suk-yeol declared martial law on December 4, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. REUTERS via Yonhap
The nomination of a new defense minister is the first official move by the presidential office since President Yun reversed his order to declare martial law on Wednesday night amid political turmoil and diplomatic fallout.
South Korea’s opposition-led coalition tabled a motion to impeach the president in an attempt to impose martial law in the National Assembly (parliament) on Wednesday, but his party opposed the move.
“All 108 Janshakti Party lawmakers will stand united to reject the president’s impeachment,” said Choo Kyung-ho, a senior leader of the ruling People Power Party.
The main opposition Democratic Party called President Yun’s move to impose martial law treason and it is understood the party will vote on a bill to impeach the president by Saturday.
“The Yun Suk Yeol regime’s declaration of emergency martial law has caused great confusion and fear among our people,” Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Seung-won told the National Assembly.
US Under-Secretary-General Kurt Campbell said President Yun “grossly misunderstood” the martial law decision, which took the White House by surprise.
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