Unraveling the South Korea Special Forces' Order Conundrum

Background of the Incident

On December 3, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law. However, within hours, parliament met in defiance of a security cordon and voted to invalidate the order. This led to a series of events that unfolded.

The commander of the 707th Special Missions Group, Colonel Kim Hyun-tae, stated that he was ordered to block lawmakers from entering the chamber to prevent a vote to lift the emergency measure. His unit landed on the grounds of parliament with the intention of cordoning off the main building.

Colonel Kim's Account

Colonel Kim told reporters that he took full responsibility for his troops' raid on parliament. He emphasized that he was acting under orders from the defence minister. He described the situation, stating that they were met with legislative staff members inside who blocked their entrance.

"We were all victims who were used by the former defence minister, Kim Yong-hyun," he said, fighting back tears. He also stated that the members of his group were not guilty; their only "guilt" was following the orders of their commander.

Aftermath and Reactions

The former defence minister was arrested on Sunday over his role in declaring martial law and ordering the deployment of troops to parliament. The leader of Yoon's People Power Party, Han Dong-hoon, said that while Yoon would not be excluded from foreign and other state affairs, the party and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would manage state affairs.

National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik stated that it was unconstitutional to delegate presidential authority unless the president is impeached. The main opposition Democratic Party, which led the failed impeachment motion on Saturday, said it would raise the motion again.