South Korea's ousted premier said on Thursday that he had opposed suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law, testifying for the first time at his former boss's impeachment trial about the events of a night that threw the country into turmoil.

Han Duck-soo was impeached by parliament as acting president and prime minister in December over alleged obstruction of the trial that could formally remove Yoon from office for his martial law decree.

He appeared before that trial for the first time on Thursday, telling Seoul's Constitutional Court he had "expressed my opposition" to Yoon's decision to suspend civilian rule on the night of December 3.

Han said he and most of his fellow cabinet members "believed such a declaration would put South Korea in serious difficulty" and that he recalled them "being concerned and trying to dissuade it".

The court said later on Thursday the final hearing will be held on the 25th.

The judges will then deliberate behind closed doors, with elections required within 60 days if Yoon is........

© International Business Times