The criminal trial of South Korea’s ousted leader Yoon Suk Yeol began on Monday, with prosecutors accusing him of leading an insurrection by declaring martial law late last year, sparking months of unrest.
Prosecutors claimed Yoon lacked the legal authority to declare martial law and accused him of attempting to paralyze state institutions including parliament.
Yoon has stated that martial law was necessary to demonstrate how the main opposition party was engaging in "legislative dictatorship" by consistently obstructing his government's agenda, but he had no intention of crippling the nation, Reuters reported.
Although South Korea hasn't carried out an execution in decades, the impeached leader faces an insurgency charge that carries a life sentence or possibly death.
