South Korea
SEOUL: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol made a surprise announcement late Tuesday night, declaring martial law in a live address broadcast on YTN television.
The declaration comes amid growing political unrest and a deepening standoff between Yoon’s administration and the opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in the National Assembly.
Yoon justified the imposition of martial law as a necessary step to safeguard the nation’s constitutional order and protect the country from perceived threats posed by North Korean forces and their alleged sympathizers.
“I declare martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces, to eradicate the despicable pro-North Korean anti-state forces that are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people, and to protect the free constitutional order,” Yoon stated during his address.
The president criticized the opposition for what he described as their efforts to destabilize the country, citing their motion to impeach top prosecutors and rejection of the government’s proposed budget.
He accused opposition lawmakers of turning the National Assembly into “a haven for criminals” and a “den of legislative dictatorship” aimed at paralyzing the nation’s judicial and administrative systems.
Yoon expressed particular frustration with the opposition’s downsized budget plan, which was approved by a parliamentary committee last week.
He claimed the opposition had cut funding for critical areas such as combatting drug crimes and maintaining public safety, pushing the country toward chaos. “They are turning the country into a drug haven and a state of public safety chaos,” he said, labeling the opposition as “anti-state forces intent on overthrowing the regime.”
Although Yoon did not provide specific details about the measures to be implemented under martial law, reports from Yonhap News Agency suggested heightened military presence near the parliament building, with entrances reportedly blocked.
Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, head of the Democratic Party, responded sharply, accusing Yoon of plunging the country into a militarized state.
“Tanks, armored personnel carriers, and soldiers with guns and knives will rule the country,” Lee said in an online livestream.
He warned of severe economic repercussions and urged citizens to gather at the National Assembly in protest.
Yoon defended his actions as “inevitable” and vowed to restore order by eliminating what he called “anti-state forces” undermining South Korea’s democracy.
This dramatic turn of events has intensified the already polarized political landscape in South Korea, leaving the nation bracing for further developments.
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