Former South Korean President Yoon states, ”Martial law is a legal measure” at treason trial

On the 21st, former South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol reiterated the legitimacy of the declaration of emergency martial law, saying, "Martial law is value-neutral and is merely a legal tool."
Yoon was given the right to speak at the second hearing of his insurrection charges, held at the 25th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court on the same day, and spoke directly for about six minutes. Yoon said that the core of the insurrection case was the
He pointed out that the issue was that the declaration of martial law, a constitutional authority that can only be exercised by the US, was carried out in a civil war-like structure.
"The plan should be respected, but a review should be carried out in accordance with the nature of the incident," he said. In particular, he likened the martial law to a "knife," saying, "A knife can be used for cooking, chopping firewood, and performing surgery, but a knife can be used for threatening purposes.
"It can also be used for crimes such as assault and assault. If we are to investigate a case from the perspective of civil unrest, we should avoid the simplistic view that it is murder just because a knife was used."
He also asked, "Is it acceptable to suspend the functioning of the National Assembly permanently or for a considerable period of time?" and said, "Martial law would destroy the democratic constitutional order, simultaneously disable and take control of all constitutional institutions, including the judiciary, and allow dictatorship to exercise dictatorship."
"It should be treated from the perspective that it proves to be a self-imposed constitutional upset and a guard coup aimed at long-term dictatorship. Martial law is one of the means to achieve that goal," he said.
Yoon also drew a comparison with past emergency martial law measures: "In the December 12 military coup and the May 18 Gwangju incident, the new military established martial law and took complete control of national affairs, ousting the cabinet through the defense minister.
"In this case, there were no casualties or bloodshed, and the working forces have not been armed from the beginning. The only way to declare a national emergency is to declare martial law," he said.
"If this is a civil war and an attempt to destroy the constitutional order for a long-term dictatorship, then what is the government and power plan, and how will the military be used to realize it?
"The truth about the crime of treason cannot be ascertained unless a more fundamental investigation is conducted into the question of whether or not the crime was committed."