Yoon Believes Communication with People and Media Is Necessary
Uncomfortable Feelings Revealed Amid Swift Impeachment Resolution
Attorney Seok Dong-hyun, who participated in forming the defense team for President Yoon Seok-yeol, who is under investigation and impeachment trial due to the '12·3 Emergency Martial Law Incident,' is surrounded by reporters in front of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 19th. Photo by Yonhap News
President Yoon Suk-yeol indirectly revealed his stance on the upcoming investigations and trials by launching an "off-site public opinion battle" through his "40-year confidant," lawyer Seok Dong-hyun. With President Yoon's suspension from office, the Presidential Secretariat's role has shifted to supporting the acting president, making it impossible to convey statements through the spokesperson's office. As a result, lawyer Seok, who is actively communicating with President Yoon, is expected to serve as the president's "voice" for the time being.
On the 19th, lawyer Seok met consecutively with domestic and international reporters, explaining that President Yoon believes communication with the public and the media is necessary, and that is why he stepped forward. At this meeting, lawyer Seok stated, "President Yoon holds a confident position," and questioned, "Where is the rebellion that declares 'I am committing treason' in a press conference broadcast to the public and the world, and where is the rebellion that stops just because the National Assembly tells you to stop within two or three hours?"
Lawyer Seok remarked, "Although lawmakers represent the people, the president was not elected through a gymnasium election, so it is regrettable and deplorable that the term is interrupted and the impeachment is rushed like roasting beans over a lightning fire." This was interpreted as conveying President Yoon's discomfort over the rapid passage of the impeachment motion against him just 11 days after the declaration of martial law.
Lawyer Seok also denied multiple military officials' statements that President Yoon directly ordered lawmakers to be pulled out ahead of the vote on lifting martial law. He emphasized, "The president is a legal expert; why would he talk about arrests? If he did, where would he take them? I hope the public and the media understand such common sense."
'12·12 Statement' Redistributed... Refuting Criticism of 'Time-Wasting'
Lawyer Seok Dong-hyun, who participated in forming the defense team for President Yoon Seok-yeol, who is under investigation and impeachment trial due to the '12·3 Emergency Martial Law Incident,' is making a statement in front of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 19th. Photo by Yonhap News
On this day, lawyer Seok also redistributed to reporters the public statement President Yoon released on the 12th, saying it revealed the president's feelings. The statement, which emphasized the justification of martial law rather than apologizing to the public, faced fierce public backlash after its release. Some in the legal community, upon seeing the statement believed to have been written by President Yoon himself, commented that it sounded like reading a brief of arguments. In this statement, President Yoon said, "The opposition party is now dancing a frenzied sword dance, claiming that the declaration of martial law constitutes treason," and did not hesitate to use strong language, saying, "The National Assembly dominated by the giant opposition party has become a monster that destroys the foundation of liberal democracy, not the foundation of liberal democratic constitutional order."
Regarding President Yoon not receiving summonses from the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit or postal notices related to the Constitutional Court's impeachment trial, lawyer Seok said, "I do not know much about that part," but added, "However, when the time comes, he will do what needs to be done." He also added, as a personal opinion, "If you want to put the president's constitutional judgment under scrutiny in the constitutional system, it should be the Constitutional Court trial, not institutions like the police's National Investigation Headquarters or the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit."
Although specific questions from reporters about the composition, timing, and future plans of the defense team followed, he avoided direct answers, saying, "The official position or the right and wrong of current issues will be revealed soon by the president's lawyers." In particular, lawyer Seok said, "No lawyer has yet submitted a power of attorney to any institution," and added, "It seems more time is needed for the composition of the defense team."
He explained that former Broadcasting and Communications Commission Chairman Kim Hong-il and former Daegu High Prosecutor General Yoon Gap-geun are considering participation but have not yet submitted their letters of appointment. When criticized that not submitting letters of appointment is a strategy to delay investigations, he countered, "Time-wasting has mainly been done by the opposition party." Regarding the possibility of President Yoon defending himself, he said, "If the necessary stage comes, President Yoon intends to make his own arguments," once again suggesting the possibility of a 'self-defense.'
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