S. Korean president defends martial law declaration in televised address

SEOUL -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday defended his move to impose a short-lived martial law and showed no will to step down in a televised address to the nation.

The president justified his declaration of the emergency martial law last week as "an act of governing" that should not be "subject to legal judgment."

Yoon said that he tried to protect the country's liberal democracy and the constitutional order against the "legislative dictatorship" of the majority opposition that committed legislative violence with the majority power.

Yoon also accused the opposition of framing insurrection charges and paralyzing state affairs with the abuse of impeachment, noting he would face impeachment or investigation "confidently."

Yoon declared the martial law on the night of Dec 3, but it was revoked by the National Assembly hours later.