Seoul: The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) boycotted President Lee Jae Myung's budget speech Tuesday in protest of a special counsel team's decision to seek an arrest warrant for one of its lawmakers involved in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law bid. PPP lawmakers skipped the 10 a.m. parliamentary session and instead staged a rally as Lee arrived at the main building of the National Assembly to deliver his speech.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the lawmakers, wearing black masks, were seen holding placards demanding a halt to what they termed an "unlawful" special counsel probe. Some members even shouted, "A criminal has arrived!" as President Lee made his entrance. This boycott was triggered by the special counsel team's investigation into allegations surrounding Yoon's martial law attempt in December, which led to the filing for the arrest of PPP Representative Choo Kyung-ho the previous day.

The PPP has denounced the move as "vicious political retaliation." Choo is accused of obstructing other PPP lawmakers from participating in a parliamentary vote to lift the martial law decree by allegedly changing the venue of an emergency general meeting of PPP lawmakers three times. The special counsel team suspects that the then floor leader altered the venue repeatedly at Yoon's request.

Choo has maintained that he had no prior knowledge of Yoon's plans to impose martial law and denied having any discussions with the former president about obstructing the vote.