South Korea lawmakers reject president's martial law declaration
President declares martial law in surprise late-night broadcast, saying move is to thwart opposition threat to constitution.
In a surprising late-night announcement, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law during a live broadcast on YTN television. This decision stems from Yoon's assertion that he was compelled to take such drastic measures to preserve the free and constitutional order of the nation. He accused opposition parties of stalling the parliamentary process, thereby plunging the country into crisis.
During his address, Yoon emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, "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." However, he did not provide details regarding the specific actions that the government plans to take under the martial law declaration.
Yoon's remarks were particularly directed at the opposition Democratic Party, which currently holds a majority in the South Korean National Assembly. This week, the party proposed a motion to impeach several leading prosecutors and also rejected the government's budget proposal. These political maneuvers, according to Yoon, have contributed to the perceived crisis that necessitated the implementation of martial law .