‘I will fight to the end’: S Korea’s Yoon defends martial law order

Embattled South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has defended his shock decision to declare martial law last week, saying he did it to protect the country’s democracy.
In a surprise televised address on Thursday, he said the attempt was a legal decision to “prevent the collapse” of democracy.
And despite growing calls for him to resign or be impeached, Yoon has suggested that he would not step down.
“I will stand firm whether I’m impeached or investigated,” he said. “I will fight to the end”.
The president and his allies are currently facing insurrection charges, and a travel ban has been slapped on several of them.
But Yoon has denied that his martial law order was an act of insurrection, claiming that his political rivals were now creating “false incitement” to bring him down.
However, he added that he would not avoid his “legal and political responsibilities”.
Last weekend, an attempt by opposition lawmakers to impeach the president failed, after members of his own ruling party boycotted the vote – but opposition members are set to hold another impeachment vote this weekend and have vowed to hold one every Saturday until Yoon is gone.