The defense minister resigned on Wednesday after parliament voted down the state of emergency law. The minister could be sentenced to death or life in prison after the controversial decision and accused of not having had sufficient legal basis for the decision.
– The Minister of Defense has been singled out as being responsible for this state of emergency. According to the deputy defense minister, it must have been the defense minister who recommended the president declare a state of emergency and order the soldiers to block so that the members could not enter the parliament building, says journalist Jojjo Olsson, who is in Seoul.
Takes the blame
Kim Yong-Hyun has been the president’s closest aide since 2022 and was appointed defense minister in August. They have known each other since their days at Chungam High School in Seoul and are part of the president’s inner circle known as the “Chungam Faction”
– Now it seems that he is taking the blame. He said in his resignation letter that he takes responsibility for what happened, says Jojjo Olsson.
The president has also given Kim a travel ban, which means he cannot leave the country. The death penalty is legal in South Korea, thought not to have been used since 1997, and is effectively considered abolished.
The president’s future unclear
Demonstrations are also underway for President Yoon Suk-Yeol to step down following the order, and the country’s main opposition party, the Democratic Party (DP), is threatening to oust him if it does not happen on its own.
– Last night, just before midnight, the opposition submitted a bill seeking to impeach the president. This is to be voted on in a task on Saturday. So we are now all waiting for the president to hold a press conference today, says Jojjo Olsson.
To impeach someone, 200 of the 300 members of parliament must vote yes, and the ruling People’s Party (PPP), to which the president belongs, does not want to impeach him.