South Korea’s Yoon floated martial law plans over drinks, new book reveals
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
A woman reads a copy of the memoir by former leader of ruling People Power Party Han Dong-hoon, titled The People First.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
Seoul - South Korea’s suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol would frequently “rant” about declaring martial law over drinks with colleagues, according to a new book by the former leader of his ruling party released Feb 26.
Mr Yoon plunged democratic South Korea into political turmoil when he declared martial law on Dec 3
The attempt only lasted six hours as the opposition-led Parliament defied troops to vote it down, later impeaching him over the move.
In his new book, Mr Han Dong-hoon, who led Mr Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) at the time, says colleagues had heard the ousted president float the possibility of suspending civilian rule before – but that they had not taken him seriously.
“A significant number of party lawmakers who had shared drinks with the president said he would often rant about martial law in private gatherings,” writes Mr Han.
“They bitterly admitted that they hadn’t realised he might have actually meant it.”
Mr Han’s memoir, titled “The People First”, topped pre-orders for over a week in South Korean bookshops and offers first-hand insider accounts of the fateful night Mr Yoon declared martial law.
The book opens with a dramatic text exchange between Mr Han and a senior presidential official just before the declaration of martial law, when the latter warned that “the worst” is about to take place.
Mr Han writes that many lawmakers had feared they would get arrested and killed that night, but pressed on regardless to the National Assembly to vote down the martial law.
“I might get arrested, but I have to endure it. I need to get to the National Assembly as soon as possible-there’s no time to lose,” Mr Han recalls telling his party spokesperson that night.
His fears were not unfounded: a former senior intelligence official has claimed to possess a memo
Mr Han details a meeting with Mr Yoon hours after the martial law was lifted, where he confronted the president about an attempt to arrest him.
Mr Yoon reportedly replied: “There is no truth to the claim.”
Mr Han also describes a US official as having “serious concerns” over the martial law and the lack of clarity over who would be in charge if North Korea attacked.
“If the martial law situation had not been resolved quickly, it seemed likely that important issues would have arisen in foreign affairs and security, including relations with the United States,” he writes.
Mr Yoon is currently behind bars awaiting his next trial on charges of insurrection, for which he could receive a life sentence or the death penalty.
His impeachment hearings at Seoul’s Constitutional Court also wrapped up on Feb 25, with a verdict expected in mid-March. AFP
