Pres. Yoon's legal team denies insurrection charges

[Anchor]

As the investigation narrows, President Yoon is hastening the formation of his legal team.

President Yoon's legal team claims that the charges of insurrection cannot be established and that they will resolve the legal disputes in the impeachment trial.

Kim Min-hyuk reports.

[Report]

The charge of insurrection is the basis for President Yoon's impeachment and is currently under investigation by the prosecution and police.

President Yoon's legal team argued that the charge of insurrection itself cannot be established.

They stated, "It was not an insurrection to seize power," and "logically, there was no riot."

President Yoon has already made the same argument.

[President Yoon Suk Yeol/4th National Address/Dec. 12: "How can a constitutional decision and an act of governance by the president be considered insurrection?"]

It is interpreted that they are arguing that a sitting president cannot be the subject of insurrection and that the emergency martial law situation does not meet the criteria for insurrection, which requires a riot.

[Jang Young-soo/Professor of Korea University Law School: "It is necessary to confirm whether there was an intention to disrupt the national constitution or to incapacitate the National Assembly."]

Another reason for impeachment is the declaration of emergency martial law.

President Yoon's legal team targeted the opposition, stating, "There has been an excessive impeachment and budget cuts that could be considered a disruption of the national constitution, and they have insulted government officials attending the National Assembly," emphasizing the legitimacy of declaring emergency martial law.

They also stated that they would resolve legal disputes in the upcoming impeachment trial.

[Kim Kyung-soo/KBS Advisory Lawyer: "The key issue is whether emergency martial law aligns with the constitution and laws, and whether military mobilization under martial law constitutes a riot."]

The legal team stated, "It will not be possible to conduct the investigation and impeachment trial simultaneously," and "there is a need to coordinate the demands for attendance and compulsory investigations from two or three agencies competing with each other."

They also announced that they would form a separate legal team to respond to the insurrection investigation and impeachment trial.

KBS News, Kim Min-hyuk.