Choi Byung Hyuk is the new Defense Minister of South Korea
South Korean President Yun Suk Yeol on Thursday accepted the resignation of his Defense Minister and also appointed a new Defense Minister. Choi Byung Hyuk has been elected as the new Defense Minister of South Korea. The country’s former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyundai had taken the responsibility of imposing martial law in the country and had resigned from his post, which has now been accepted.
President Yoon Suk Yeol was forced to accept the resignation of his Defense Minister after opposition parties submitted an impeachment motion against the two in Parliament in protest against the imposition of ‘martial law’. The main opposition Democratic Party and other smaller opposition parties on Wednesday submitted an impeachment motion against President Yun Suk Yeol in protest against the ‘martial law’ he declared last night.
Martial law lifted in six hours
‘Martial law’ remained in effect for about six hours and the ‘National Assembly’ (South Korea’s parliament) immediately voted to reject the President’s decision, prompting his cabinet to lift it before Wednesday morning. On Thursday, Yoon appointed Choi Byung Hyuk to replace Defense Minister Kim Yong-Hyun, who retired with the rank of general with four stars, the president’s office said. He is currently the Ambassador of South Korea to Saudi Arabia. There was no further comment from Yoon. He had announced in his televised address that his government was revoking the declaration of ‘martial law’, since then he has not been seen in any public program.
Ruling and opposition parties protested
Ever since martial law was implemented in the country, the ruling and opposition parties had come out against it. Many leaders of the ruling party had also called it undemocratic and unconstitutional. At the same time, the leader of the President’s party, Han Dong-hoon, also openly criticized this decision and also took part in the voting in the Parliament. After the decision of martial law, large-scale protests started across the country. (input-ap)
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