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South Korea's President appoints new defense minister amid threat of resignation

South Korea's President appoints new defense minister amid threat of resignation President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol (photo: Getty Images)

President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, appointed a new defense minister following an unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law in the country, reports Reuters.

The President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, accepted the resignation of Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and appointed Choi Byung-hyuk, who was South Korea's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, as his replacement.

It is reported that Kim, who resigned on Wednesday, was considered a key figure in the declaration of martial law by Yoon on Tuesday. He was the one who recommended this decision to the president, as indicated by impeachment documents from the opposition and a senior military official.

As a result, the appointment of a new candidate became the first official step for Yoon after he announced the cancellation of the martial law on Wednesday morning. This occurred against the backdrop of political turmoil and diplomatic consequences.

On December 3, President Yoon announced the introduction of martial law in the country. However, it was not related to an external military threat but rather to the political situation within the country. These actions caused shockwaves.

This morning, opposition parties in South Korea introduced an impeachment bill against the president in parliament. However, his party promised to oppose it, questioning the process. The vote on this issue is scheduled for tomorrow, December 6, Friday.