A lawyer for President Yoon Suk Yeol denies the president used the words “arrest” or “round up” on the night he declared martial law.

Seok Dong-hyun made the statement in a news conference in front of the Seoul High Court on Thursday in response to an earlier claim from Cho Ji-ho, the commissioner of the Korean National Police Agency, who said Yoon ordered the arrest of lawmakers on December 3. 

Hong Jang-won, former first deputy director of the National Intelligence Service, had made a similar claim, saying Yoon directly instructed him to “round everyone up.”

Seok said the hasty impeachment moves must be addressed, stressing the need for an objective investigation to determine what happened on December 3. 

The lawyer added that efforts are underway to form a defense team for the president, adding that information about his legal strategy will be revealed later on. 

He dismissed the treason allegations against the president, saying treason is not something a perpetrator announces in advance.