SEOUL, Dec 5, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The senior South Korean military chief in charge of a brief period of martial law said Thursday he knew nothing in advance about President Yoon Suk Yeol's plans.

Yoon suspended the civilian government late Tuesday but was forced into a U-turn hours later after lawmakers voted down the measure. He faces an impeachment vote on Saturday.

On Thursday lawmakers grilled senior figures, including army chief of staff for the army General Park An-su, about the plans to impose martial law.

"I came to know about the martial law declaration after watching Yoon's live address (on television)," Park told MPs.

He added that there was a meeting of top military officials after the broadcast, and it was there he discovered he had a role to play in the suspension of civilian rule.

"I found out I had been named martial law commander when the defence minister announced it -- declaring 'the martial law commander is army general Park An-su' after the meeting," Park said.

Park said he signed a decree banning anti-government political activities, allowing warrantless arrests and media censorship -- but he told lawmakers he did not write it. 

When he suggested it be reviewed for legality, he was told it had already been done by Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun -- who has since resigned and is now under a travel ban.

Park said that all he did was change the time on the document.

He also claimed to know nothing about soldiers being sent to the office and home of prominent YouTube personality Kim Eo-jun -- rather than major state broadcasters. 

"I am hearing about it for the first time now," he told lawmakers.

In addition he said he did not know that soldiers were sent to the National Assembly, seemingly to prevent lawmakers from entering, and had no idea if the soldiers were carrying live ammunition. 

"I didn't even know they were being deployed there... I was not in control of the chain of command, so I was not aware of it," he said.

Deputy Defence Minister Kim Seon-ho -- now acting minister after his boss's resignation -- told lawmakers that he was against martial law.

"I opposed the deployment of soldiers under martial law and expressed my dissent" to sending them to parliament, he said Thursday.

He added that the soldiers did not carry live ammunition, and also told lawmakers that he had not agreed with Yoon's description of MPs as "anti-state elements". 

Kim also said he had no idea who had written the martial law decree, saying he just knew "that the defence ministry didn't draft it".