ReutersProsecutors say South Korea's ousted president told the military to use weapons as they tried to remove lawmakers from parliament as they voted against his martial law decree.
On Dec. 3, Yoon Suk Yeol authorized soldiers to “break down the doors and drag them (politicians) out, even if it means firing guns,” according to an indictment as part of the impeachment proceedings against him.
The orders were said to have been given to a general accused of blocking the National Assembly during Yun's brief declaration of martial law – which was rejected by MPs after 190 managed to enter the building.
Yun's cabinet later rescinded his decree, and lawmakers have since voted to impeach him.
EPASouth Korea's impeachment trial means Yoon is suspended from his duties while the constitutional court decides whether to uphold his impeachment. If he does, he will be permanently removed from office.
His decision to declare martial law – which he claimed at the time was to counter “anti-state forces” in parliament – was seen by some as an attempt to break a political stalemate since the opposition won a landslide victory in April.
After his late speech announcing the decree, opposition MPs and protesters gathered outside the National Assembly, but were met by police and military who barricaded the building.
When they were MPs able to force entryprosecutors say Yun told Capital Defense Command chief Lee Jin-woo that military forces could fire if necessary to enter the National Assembly.
“Tell (your troops) to go to the voting hall, four for each (legislator) and execute them,” Yun allegedly told Gen Lee.
“What are you doing? You're breaking down doors and getting them out.”
After lawmakers voted to lift martial law, Yun told General Lee to “go ahead” because he could declare martial law repeatedly, the indictment said.
Prosecutors say the indictment draws on evidence from former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who was also indicted on Friday for telling General Lee to follow Yun's orders several times on December 3.
He also claimed to have ordered commanders to seize the National Electoral Commission building and arrest its officials using cable ties, eye masks, ropes, baseball bats and hammers that had been prepared by the military.
Kim will remain in custody while awaiting trial, investigators said in a press release.
The martial law decree plunged South Korea into weeks of political turmoil.
Opposition politicians immediately called Yun's declaration illegal and unconstitutional. The leader of his own party, the conservative People's Power Party, also called for Yun's act “wrong move”.
Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was also indicted on Friday, according to the Special Investigations Staff set up in the country's prosecutor's office.
The same day and the National Assembly voted for impeachment its current president, Han Duk-soo.
Khan was supposed to lead the country out of its political instability, but opposition lawmakers claimed he was refusing demands to complete Yun's impeachment trial.
He has agreed to step down, meaning the country's Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok will become acting president.
Thousands of protesters held rival rallies in South Korea, with some calling for Yoon's arrest.
Attending a protest in Seoul on Saturday, Kwon Jung-hee told the BBC that Khan's impeachment felt like “a small mountain” that had been climbed.
“But there are still too many mountains to climb, so I can't just stay at home – I went out with the attitude of defending the country,” she said.
Political uncertainty also caused the economy to suffer.
The currency fell to its lowest level against the dollar since the global financial crisis 16 years ago.
