President Yoon Suk Yeol attends his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Jongno District, central Seoul, Thursday. Joint Press Corps

Detained President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday accused his political opponents of forming what he described as a "left-wing cartel" to push for his removal, claiming that the ongoing impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court was being distorted for this purpose.

His remarks, delivered by ruling People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers who visited him at the Seoul Detention Center, came a day after he denounced the legal proceedings as an "impeachment maneuver" built on false narratives surrounding his short-lived martial law imposition late last year.

While the visit reflects the loyalty and support of many PPP lawmakers for the embattled leader, Yoon's steadfast stance — leaving many Koreans bewildered — adds complexity for the ruling party. The party must also prepare for the potential removal of Yoon from office, which could lead to a snap election.

"(The president said) the country is facing difficult times, and the Democratic Party of Korea and left-wing forces have formed a powerful cartel, relentlessly fighting against us," Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun told reporters after meeting the president at the detention facility in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province. Fellow PPP lawmaker Kim Min-jeon joined the visit.

The president also said he "realized the extent of the distortions after appearing at the Constitutional Court," and thus, he believes attending the hearings to speak on his own behalf was the right decision.

When asked what the president meant by "distortions," the lawmaker suggested Yoon was referring to the testimonies of key witnesses, including Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-geun, former commander of the Army Special Warfare Command, and Hong Jang-won, former first deputy director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

Yoon's impeachment trial over his botched martial law imposition continues to unfold at the Constitutional Court. Since Jan. 14, the court has held six hearings, with Yoon personally attending five.

Rep. Kim Min-jeon, left, and Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the ruling People Power Party speak to reporters after their meeting with President Yoon Suk Yeol at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. Yonhap

During the proceedings, key military and intelligence figures involved in the martial law have testified, with some making statements against the president.

At Thursday's hearing, Kwak testified that Yoon had directly ordered him to "drag out the lawmakers inside the National Assembly chamber" through a secret phone call during martial law. If true, this suggests Yoon sought to prevent lawmakers from gathering to vote on lifting the emergency military rule.

During a hearing on Tuesday, the former NIS deputy director said that the president called him minutes after declaring martial law and instructed him to "clean them all up," referring to a list of key political figures.

Yoon refuted both allegations.

Regarding Kwak's statement, he said his instruction to "pull out military personnel" had been misinterpreted, denying that he gave orders to drag out lawmakers. However, Kwak testified that no military personnel were inside the Assembly chamber when he received Yoon's order.

As for Hong's testimony, the president insisted that his phone call with the former intelligence official was unrelated to the night's events and instead was referring to separate anti-communist investigations.

Yoon alleged that these "false accusations" were part of a broader political maneuver to frame the martial law as an insurrection and ultimately remove him from office.

The Constitutional Court is expected to issue a ruling in the coming months. If it upholds his impeachment, the nation will hold a presidential election within 60 days.

President Yoon Suk Yeol's supporters hold a rally near the Constitutional Court in Seoul, Tuesday, calling for Yoon's release from detention. Yonhap

While opposition parties are gearing up for the election, the PPP has refrained from openly discussing the topic because this may be seen as a betrayal of the embattled president whose core supporters have helped boost the party's approval ratings.

"An early presidential election is ultimately based on the assumption that the Constitutional Court will uphold the impeachment. But since the court has yet to make a decision, it would be inappropriate to assume an outcome and start preparing accordingly," PPP interim leader Kwon Young-se said in an interview with SBS Radio on Friday.

Kwon also defended his visit to Yoon in detention on Monday, saying, "It is natural for the ruling party leader to visit a sitting president. I wanted to hear his thoughts and check on his well-being."

Political commentator Park Sang-byeong noted that these visits by PPP members to Yoon are aimed at courting the president's loyal supporters and allowing the physically detained leader to continue appealing to conservative voters.

"It's unlikely that PPP lawmakers will distance themselves from Yoon in the short term. Their political interests are focused on strengthening their influence within the party. With the president's hardcore supporters now serving as the party's main base, detaching from Yoon would risk losing those loyal supporters," Park said.

However, he cautioned that the party's continued alignment with Yoon could backfire if the court upholds the impeachment.

"A majority of centrists disapprove of the president and may shift further left if Yoon is formally impeached. Abandoning this group will ultimately lower the conservative party's chances of winning the presidential election," the commentator said.

Nevertheless, the jailed president expressed gratitude to the public for their support, especially from younger generations, and vowed to uphold his dignity as head of state, according to the lawmakers who visited him at the detention center.