South Korean Acting President Grilled Over Martial Law Controversy
Seoul, Feb 6 (IANS) – South Korea’s Acting President Choi Sang-mok faced intense questioning on Thursday at a special parliamentary committee hearing investigating President Yoon Suk Yeol’s controversial martial law declaration. Opposition lawmakers, primarily from the Democratic Party (DP), focused on a memo allegedly handed to Choi by President Yoon during the declaration of martial law on December 3, 2022.
Choi, who was serving as the finance minister at the time, was interrogated about the memo, which reportedly instructed him to allocate a budget for an emergency legislative body in response to the imposition of martial law.
“During the parliamentary inquiry session, you mentioned that the President handed out documents during the martial law declaration, but you did not take the time to read them. Shouldn’t you have done so?” questioned DP Representative Choo Mi-ae.
In his defense, Choi explained that a “folded note” had been handed to him, but given the high-stress situation surrounding the declaration of martial law, he was unable to review its contents at that moment.
The memo allegedly included instructions to reduce operational expenses for the National Assembly and to draft a budget for the emergency legislature set up under martial law. These actions have been under scrutiny, with opposition lawmakers suggesting they were part of an effort to exert greater control over the legislative process.
Additionally, the DP criticized Choi’s decision to delay the appointment of Ma Eun-hyuk, the opposition-recommended nominee for the Constitutional Court’s ninth justice. The delay in confirming Ma’s appointment has become a significant point of contention, especially considering the current vacancy on the nine-member bench, which could play a pivotal role in Yoon’s potential impeachment proceedings.
The parliamentary session also included the presence of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and other senior government officials. The National Assembly had voted to impeach President Yoon over his unprecedented and brief imposition of martial law, which was followed by his indictment on charges of insurrection and an arrest warrant.
Yoon is also accused of ordering military forces to intervene at the National Assembly to prevent lawmakers from voting against the martial law declaration, as well as planning to arrest prominent political figures involved in opposing the move. The ongoing investigation has drawn widespread attention as it could significantly impact South Korea’s political landscape and the future of Yoon’s presidency.
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