Lawyers for former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun speak during a press conference in Seoul, Dec. 26. Yonhap

President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered the deletion of a public curfew in an initial draft of the martial law decree issued earlier this month, a lawyer for former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun claimed Thursday.

Kim's lawyer, Yoo Seung-soo, said the former minister had originally written the draft that included the curfew, but Yoon ordered Kim to delete it in his review, citing the decree's focus on the National Assembly.

"To sound an alarm against the National Assembly as intended, the president ordered its deletion to emphasize that the martial law is not targeted at ordinary citizens," Yoo told reporters.

The decree issued shortly after Yoon's declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 included a ban on all political activities, including those by the National Assembly, among other restrictions.

Kim, who has since resigned and been arrested over his alleged role in the incident, faces charges of insurrection and abuse of power in the prosecution's investigation.

Kim's lawyers argued that as the martial law declaration was intended as a warning and within the president's authority, it could not amount to charges of insurrection.

"The president's legal and justified declaration of martial law cannot amount to an insurrection," Yoo said.

Lee Ha-sang, another lawyer for Kim, claimed that Yoon "clearly" ordered troops not to prevent lawmakers from entering the National Assembly during martial law, rejecting accusations that he instructed top military and police officials to block them.

Lee also said Noh Sang-won, a former intelligence commander seen as a key suspect in plotting the martial law, has no connection to Yoon, noting the former minister worked a few times with him.

"It is true that Kim sought advice from Noh," Lee said, adding he gave advice regarding a military leak in August and suspicions of a foreign power meddling in the election watchdog's servers.

Lee also argued that preparing for martial law is a routine task for the defense ministry, rejecting accusations of such efforts as plotting for an insurrection.

"As it is not known when the president could decide to declare martial law, preparation for it is a legitimate conduct of a minister's tasks," he said. (Yonhap)