Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun testified during President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial that Yoon ordered him to mobilize a minimal number of troops during the short-lived martial law.

Testifying as a witness at the trial for the first time Thursday, Kim replied "yes" when Yoon's defense team asked if the president ordered minimal deployment after the former minister told him that all military units in the capital area had to be mobilized.

Kim said while he opposed minimal deployment as it would be insufficient to properly execute martial law, the president said the decree was only meant to sound the alarm against anti-state forces.

He said troops did not carry live ammunition following such an order from the president, and that more soldiers were mobilized as the first group of 280 was deemed not enough to maintain public order outside the National Assembly.

The former minister said the police force was also mobilized to maintain order.