‘Martial law is an exercise of presidential authority to overcome a national crisis,' says Yoon Suk Yeol, who remains in custody of anti-graft body
South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday defended his short-lived attempt to impose martial law last month, Yonhap News reported.
His defense of the emergency law came hours after police raided the presidential residence in the capital Seoul, where they detained Yoon, who had been avoiding arrest since Jan. 3.
“Martial law is not a crime. Martial law is an exercise of presidential authority to overcome a national crisis,” Yoon wrote in a handwritten letter posted on his Facebook account.
The 63-year-old leader remains in custody of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials at its office in Gwacheon, south of Seoul.
Investigators were successful in their second attempt to detain Yoon after presidential security blocked an initial attempt on Jan. 3.
He, however, has refused to testify before the investigators.
The suspended president was provided with a lunch box after interrogation over his brief declaration of martial law on the night of Dec. 3.
Yoon is the first South Korean president to be detained and face charges of insurrection and treason.
Sitting presidents are immune to criminal investigation in South Korea but for the two cited reasons.
Yoon was impeached on Dec. 14 and is facing trial by the Constitutional Court, which has up to six months to decide whether to remove or reinstate him as president.
