South Korean president defends martial law decision

South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk Yool, has vowed to “fight until the end” attempts to remove him from office after his short-lived imposition of martial law, as police reportedly again attempted to raid his office as they investigate him over allegations of insurrection.

In a defiant and lengthy TV address on Thursday, Yoon defended his shock decision last week to impose martial law – a move designed to suspend political activities and press and civic freedoms – describing it as a legitimate “act of governance” and denied attempting to foment insurrection.

Two days before the national assembly is expected to vote a second time on Yoon’s impeachment, he repeated claims that he had been trying to defend the country from anti-state forces.

“I will fight to the end, to prevent the forces and criminal groups that have been responsible for paralysing the country’s government and disrupting the nation’s constitutional order from threatening the future of the Republic of Korea,” Yoon said.

Earlier, President Yoon had apologized to those dissatisfied with his decision. However, in his speech on Thursday, he reaffirmed his strong justification for the imposition of martial law.

Meanwhile, many members of Yoon's own party are against him. People's Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon said, "The president does not want to resign; he should be impeached."