South Korea's Yoon names new defence minister after botched martial law
South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun attends a joint press conference during a 2+2 meeting, at the State Department in Washington, US, Oct 31, 2024.
PHOTO: Reuters
PUBLISHED ONDecember 05, 2024 1:46 AM
SEOUL — South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has accepted the resignation of Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun and nominated the ambassador to Saudi Arabia Choi Byung-hyuk as new defence minister, the presidential office said on Dec 5.
Kim, who offered his resignation on Dec 4, was seen as a central figure in Yoon's declaration of martial law on Dec 3. A senior military official and filings to impeach Yoon by opposition members said Kim made the recommendation to Yoon.
Yoon's chief of staff Chung Jin-suk called Choi "a person of principle who carries out his duties with dedication and adheres to regulations".
The nomination is the first official move by Yoon after he announced the withdrawal of the martial law declaration in the early hours of Dec 4, amid a storm of political turmoil and diplomatic fallout.
Parliament introduced a motion early on Dec 5 to impeach him over the botched attempt to impose martial law, but his party vowed to oppose the move, throwing the process into doubt.
The main opposition Democratic Party has called Yoon's martial law attempt a treasonous act, and its lawmakers could lead a vote for the bill as early as Dec 6.
US officials said they were caught completely off guard by Yoon's martial law declaration, which Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said was "badly misjudged".
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