A former lawmaker from South Korea’s main opposition People Power Party, Ihn Yohan, has criticized former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s decision to declare martial law. Ihn expressed disappointment over the crisis in a video posted on his YouTube channel. He mentioned that he believed there was a compelling reason for the martial law declaration, which he later found not to be the case.
Ihn shared his experience of the consequences of a wrongful martial law declaration, recalling his involvement in the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju. He expressed deep disappointment and humiliation over the events that unfolded since the martial law declaration. Ihn also conveyed hope for the success of Representative Lee So-hee, who took over his position as a proportional representative.
Meanwhile, a Seoul court conducted the first hearing of former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s trial on charges related to dispatching military drones to Pyongyang in 2024. The closed-door hearing included Yoon, former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, and Yeo In-hyung, the former head of the Defence Counterintelligence Command. Yoon and the others face charges of aiding the enemy by allegedly dispatching drones to North Korea, with the prosecution linking this act to the subsequent martial law declaration.
The court stated that it would decide session by session whether to continue the trial behind closed doors due to state secrets involved in the case. Yoon is facing multiple charges in connection with his failed martial law attempt, including leading an insurrection.
