Yoon's credibility continues to weaken in court

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Yoon's credibility continues to weaken in court

President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared before the Constitutional Court on Tuesday for his third hearing, facing damaging testimonies from three former high-ranking military officials and government officials.
 
Unlike the previous two sessions, Tuesday’s hearing featured witnesses whose statements directly contradicted Yoon’s defense.
 
While expectations were high that the hearing would clarify key facts surrounding the Dec. 3 martial law declaration, public frustration remained unrelieved.
 
Despite statements in the indictment and prior testimonies pointing to Yoon as the orchestrator of the insurrection, his defense team continues to introduce new counterarguments rather than directly refuting the allegations.
 
Former Capital Defense Commander Lee Jin-woo, a witness who was expected to clarify contradictions in testimonies, refrained from responding, stating that he was “limited in answering” due to his involvement in a separate criminal case.
 
Throughout the hearing, Yoon sat with his eyes closed, listening to the testimonies.
 
Meanwhile, Yoon’s legal team filed a motion with the Seoul Central District Court requesting the revocation of his detention.
 
While the legal process may take time, a clearer factual picture of the martial law declaration is emerging.
 
According to the indictment released on Feb. 3, Yoon allegedly ordered Lee Jin-woo to "go to the main assembly hall and have four people drag out each lawmaker, one by one" and “break down the doors and drag them out. Shoot if necessary to get inside.”
 
These statements directly contradict Yoon’s testimony at the impeachment hearing on Jan. 21, when Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae asked him: “Did you order Capital Defense Commander Lee Jin-woo and Special Warfare Commander Kwak Jong-geun to forcibly remove lawmakers who had gathered at the National Assembly to vote on the martial law’s revocation?”
 
Yoon firmly denied the allegation, responding, “No, I did not.”
 
Such blatant contradictions have fueled further doubts about Yoon’s credibility.
 
During a National Assembly hearing on Tuesday, former Special Warfare Commander Kwak Jong-geun challenged a claim made by former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who had testified at the Constitutional Court that Yoon’s orders were to remove security personnel, not lawmakers.
 
Kwak refuted this, stating that “At the time the order was given to extract security personnel, there were no such personnel inside the main chamber.”
 
Kwak also dismissed claims that Yoon had ordered troops to withdraw peacefully to avoid injuries, stating, “I never received such an order.”
 
These inconsistencies further erode Yoon’s defense and add weight to the testimonies of key military leaders.
 
Perhaps most alarming is the indictment’s revelation that, on the day martial law was declared, Yoon ordered a blackout of electricity and water at media outlets.
 
Investigations indicate that this directive was relayed through then-Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min to Fire Commissioner Heo Seok-gon. Such an order, if proven, would represent an extraordinary violation of press freedom and a direct assault on democratic institutions.
 
Yoon’s legal team has attempted to discredit the prosecution’s case by pointing out discrepancies in the number of recorded phone calls and other procedural details. Still, this ignores the core issue at hand — whether Yoon's orders during the martial law period constitute criminal actions.
 
At this point, testimonies from high-ranking military officers and government officials — many of whom were trusted elites in Yoon’s own administration — are piling up against him. Their position within Yoon’s government makes it difficult to dismiss their testimonies as lacking credibility.
 
As the Constitutional Court and criminal trials continue, Yoon must demonstrate sincerity as the commander-in-chief of the nation’s military, rather than resorting to legal maneuvering and technical defenses. 
 
Translated using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
 
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