S Korean president accused of ordering use of guns to stop martial law vote

Prosecutors allege that South Korea's suspended president told the subject to usage guns portion attempting to region lawmakers from parliament portion they were voting down his martial instrumentality decree.

On 3 December, Yoon Suk Yeol authorised soldiers to "break down the doors and resistance them [politicians] out, adjacent if it means firing the guns", according to an indictment arsenic portion of impeachment proceedings against him.

The orders are said to person been fixed to a wide charged with blockading the National Assembly during Yoon's short-lived declaration of martial instrumentality - which was voted down by MPs aft 190 were capable to participate the building.

Yoon's furniture aboriginal rescinded his decree, and MPs person since voted to impeach him.

South Korea's impeachment process means Yoon has been suspended from his duties portion a law tribunal decides whether to corroborate his impeachment. If it does, helium volition beryllium permanently removed from office.

His determination to state subject regularisation - which helium claimed astatine the clip was to antagonistic "anti-state forces" successful parliament - has been seen by immoderate arsenic an effort to interruption a governmental stalemate since the absorption won a landslide successful April.

After his late-night code announcing the decree, absorption MPs and protesters converged connected the National Assembly, but were met by constabulary and subject unit barricading the building.

When MPs were able to unit entry, prosecutors accidental Yoon told the main of the superior defence command, Lee Jin-woo, that subject forces could sprout if indispensable to participate the National Assembly.

"Tell (your troops) to spell to the voting chamber, 4 for each (lawmaker) and transportation them out," Yoon is alleged to person told Gen Lee.

"What are you doing? Break down the doors and resistance them out."

After MPs voted to assistance martial law, Yoon told General Lee to "keep going" arsenic helium could state martial instrumentality aggregate times, the indictment says.

Prosecutors accidental the indictment draws grounds from erstwhile defence curate Kim Yong-hyun, who was besides indicted connected Friday for allegedly telling Gen Lee to travel Yoon's orders aggregate times connected 3 December.

He besides allegedly ordered commanders to prehend the National Elections Commission gathering and apprehension its employees, utilizing cablegram ties, oculus masks, ropes, shot bats and hammers which had been prepared by the military.

Kim volition enactment successful detention portion awaiting his trial, the investigators said successful a property release.

The martial instrumentality decree has plunged South Korea into a weeks-long governmental turmoil.

Opposition politicians instantly called Yoon's declaration amerciable and unconstitutional. The person of his ain enactment - the blimpish People's Power Party - besides called Yoon's enactment "the incorrect move".

The erstwhile defence curate Kim Yong-hyun was besides indicted connected Friday, according to the Special Investigation HQ, installed astatine the country's prosecution service.

The aforesaid day, the National Assembly besides voted to impeach its acting president, Han Duck-soo.

Han was expected to pb the state retired of its governmental instability, but absorption MPs argued that helium was refusing demands to implicit Yoon's impeachment process.

He has agreed to measurement aside, which means the country's concern minister, Choi Sang-mok, volition go acting president.

Thousands of protesters person held rival rallies successful South Korea, with immoderate demanding Yoon's arrest.

Attending a protestation successful Seoul connected Saturday, Kwon Jung-hee told the BBC Han's impeachment felt similar "one tiny mountain" had been climbed.

"But determination are inactive excessively galore mountains to climb, truthful I can't conscionable enactment astatine location - I've travel retired with the mindset of protecting the country," she said.

The governmental uncertainty has besides caused the system suffer.

The currency has plunged to its lowest level against the dollar since the planetary fiscal situation 16 years ago.