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HANDOUT - In this photo, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a press conference at the presidential office. Photo: Uncredited/South Korea Presidential Office/AP/dpa - ATTENTION: Only for subscribers to the dpa News for Children service and with full credit as above
Keystone
South Korea's politically troubled President Yoon Suk Yeol has appointed a new defense minister in the wake of the state crisis he triggered. Kim Yong Hyun's offer to resign was accepted and Ambassador Choi Byung Hyuk, who had previously been stationed in Saudi Arabia, was installed as his successor, as reported by the South Korean news agency Yonhap. The first new appointment since the imposition of the state of emergency indicates that Yoon does not want to relinquish his office as head of state despite great public pressure.
Former Defense Minister Kim was an outspoken supporter of the president's decision to declare martial law, which has since been reversed. Some even see him as the main mastermind behind the decision. On Wednesday, Kim had publicly apologized for causing turmoil.
Motion for impeachment proceedings in parliament
President Yoon had surprisingly declared martial law on Tuesday night and lifted it a few hours later after massive political resistance. It was the first time since South Korea's transition to democracy at the end of the 1980s that the country's head of state had declared martial law.
In the meantime, the opposition has signed a motion for impeachment proceedings. It is to be voted on in parliament on Saturday. The largest opposition party accuses the conservative head of state of breaching the constitution and is calling for his immediate resignation.
05.12.2024, 07:40
