ISTANBUL

South Korea's former Premier Han Duck-soo said on Wednesday that he "failed to persuade" President Yoon Suk Yeol against declaring martial law on December 3, claiming that he was "not involved."

Han made the claims during his first hearing of the impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court, Yonhap News reported.

He was impeached by the parliament for not appointing judges approved by parliament to the top court, which is holding separate trials for Han and Yoon.

"I did not know in advance what the president was planning,” Han said in his defense.

“I did my best to persuade the president to reconsider, and I was in no way involved in mobilizing the military," he added, urging the court to eliminate the impeachment motion.

Han was appointed acting president after Yoon was impeached on Dec. 14 over his short-lived martial law.

Yoon is currently under criminal investigation for abuse of power and leading an insurrection, making him the first sitting president to be arrested. He is also subject to a travel ban.

The constitutional court will hold the 10th and final hearing of Yoon's impeachment trial on Thursday, which has been up to six months since the trial began last December, to decide the fate of Yoon.

If the court decides against the parliament motion, Yoon will quickly be reinstated as president, but if the court upholds impeachment, fresh presidential elections are due within two months from the date the top court issues the order.

Currently, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is acting president after Han was impeached.