South Korea's impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol denied the charges against him, calling his martial law decision a "peaceful message" to the nation. The country will now hold a snap elections on June 3.

South Korea's ousted leader Yoon Suk Yeol argued that his brief martial law declaration late last year was "not a coup d’etat" as he appeared in court on Monday for the start of a criminal trial over charges that he led an insurrection.

South Korea’s constitutional court upheld the parliament’s decision to impeach the country’s suspended president, Yoon Suk Yeol, on April 4. The court stated that, by declaring martial law in December, Yoon had taken actions that were beyond the powers granted by South Korea’s constitution.