The head of the South Korean army's Special Operations Command said today that he disobeyed then-Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun's order to take lawmakers out of the National Assembly building during martial law operations this week, Yonhap reported, BTA reported.
Lieutenant General Kwak Jong-kun said this in response to a question from opposition lawmakers about what instructions he received from his superiors when troops were sent to the National Assembly after President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law on Tuesday.
„Then-Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun ordered me to take people out of the the National Assembly building outside“, the commander said. “I did not carry out this task even though I knew it would constitute insubordination because, based on my judgment, forcibly taking the lawmakers out was clearly an illegal act“, he said.
When asked what orders he had given his unit, the commander said he had banned the soldiers from being given live ammunition because he had witnessed “unjustified scenes” during their deployment. He also said he would refuse to carry out any new order to impose martial law. The presidential office said President Yoon Suk-yeol had not issued any orders to arrest or detain lawmakers.