SOUTH KOREA’S impeached president denied today that he ordered the military to drag lawmakers out of the National Assembly to prevent them from voting to reject his martial law decree last month.

The comments from President Yoon Suk Yeol came during his first appearance before the Constitutional Court that will determine his fate over his short lived declaration of martial law on December 3, which plunged the nation into chaos.

After the imposition of martial law, Mr Yoon sent troops and police officers to encircle the National Assembly.