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Defiant Yoon tells PPP lawmakers that 'multiple crises' necessitated martial law decree

Published: 10 Feb. 2025, 17:04 Updated: 10 Feb. 2025, 17:08

SEO JI-EUN
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Lawmakers of the conservative People Power Party, including Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, second from left, meet the press at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi, on Feb. 10, after visiting President Yoon Suk Yeol who has been jailed in connection with his short-lived imposition of martial law in December. [NEWS1]

Detained President Yoon Suk Yeol stood by his short-lived martial law decree during his third meeting with lawmakers at the Seoul Detention Center Monday, insisting the measure was taken because the nation was facing "multiple crises" and that all actions were executed within the "confines of constitutional procedures and limits."

A group of pro-Yoon People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers, including Reps. Kim Gi-hyeon, along with Choo Kyung-ho, Park Sung-min, Lee Chul-gyu and Jeong Jeom-sig, met with the president at the detention center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi. It marked the third such meeting, following previous sessions held on Feb. 3 with interim leader Kwon Young-se, floor leader Kweon Seong-dong and lawmaker Na Kyung-won, and on Feb. 7 with Reps. Yoon Sang-hyun and Kim Meen-geon.

After the meeting, Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon briefed reporters on the meeting with Yoon and said he and other lawmakers conveyed that many citizens understand the difficult circumstances that "compelled the president’s decision" and described the president's explanation as “procedurally sound.” The former PPP leader had written the president's remarks in his notebook.

However, Yoon did not mention the large-scale protest against his impeachment held over the weekend in front of Dongdaegu Station in Daegu, which amassed over 50,000 people.

Instead, he expressed optimism about public sentiment, particularly among young people, according to Kim.

“It is encouraging to learn that the people, especially young people, strongly feel that they are the masters of this country,” he was quoted as saying. “If our party genuinely supports the movement for defending freedom and restoring national sovereignty, the people’s love and support will follow.”

“I’m doing well, so don’t worry," Yoon said. "As the weather grows colder, I urge our party leadership, central government, legislators and local governments to work closely together to support those in need, self-reliant youth and small business owners.”

Yoon is currently undergoing an impeachment trial for masterminding the martial law decree at the Constitutional Court.

Monday’s session was the last individual meeting for the time being amid mounting criticism that his meetings with lawmakers, conducted from detention, constitute “prison politics.”

The Democratic Party (DP) sharply criticized the meeting.

“The PPP is now hurtling toward an extreme right-wing agenda, and I believe it won’t be long before they must close up shop" as a party, DP Rep. Park Sung-joon said in a radio interview on Monday. "As lawmakers, we must clearly take a firm stance and impose severe penalties on a president who has undermined the constitutional order and refused to acknowledge the authority of the National Assembly, but they are further alienating the public."

"How can they maintain themselves as a party?" Park said.

In a Facebook post, DP Rep. Park Jie-won, a former National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief, slammed the series of meetings by warning that both the president and the pro-Yoon lawmakers participating in these sessions would be "forever recorded" in history and by the public as “collaborators in insurrection.”

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]