SEOUL: South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong Hyun on Wednesday (Dec 4) apologised for causing public concern over President Yoon Suk Yeol's attempt to impose martial law and offered his resignation, Yonhap news agency reported.
The decision came after Yoon unexpectedly declared emergency martial law late Tuesday, only to lift it hours later as the opposition-controlled National Assembly voted to reject it.
"I have offered my resignation to the president, taking responsibility for all the turmoil caused by the emergency martial law," Kim said in a statement sent to reporters.
Kim, who reportedly proposed the imposition of martial law to Yoon, emphasised that he should be held accountable and noted that all troops involved in executing martial law were simply following his orders.
Following the declaration, the military established a martial law command, promulgated a decree, and mobilised some 280 troops to enter the National Assembly compound.
Kim said the ministry would continue to maintain firm readiness to safeguard national defence and public safety.
"Martial law has been lifted, and the people are recovering their daily lives, but the domestic political situation and security circumstances remain challenging," he said.
"The defence ministry views this situation with utmost seriousness and will make every effort to ensure that defence operations proceed without setbacks while managing confrontational issues stably," Kim added.
Kim's apology came less than an hour after the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) proposed a motion to impeach him.
The DP is expected to submit the motion to a parliamentary plenary session on Thursday, alongside the impeachment motion against Yoon introduced earlier in the day, and put it to a vote later this week.
By law, an impeachment motion must be voted on between 24 and 72 hours after it is reported to a plenary session. - Bernama-Yonhap
