South Korean President Declares Martial Law Amid Domestic Political Crisis

Seoul, The Gulf Observer: South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law on Tuesday night in a live televised address broadcast on YTN, citing the need to eradicate “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces.” This is the first time martial law has been declared in South Korea since 1980.

In his address, Yoon did not mention a specific threat from North Korea but focused on his domestic political opponents, particularly the opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in parliament. He accused these forces of undermining the nation’s constitutional order and said he had no choice but to take extreme measures to protect South Korea’s democracy and sovereignty.

The South Korean military announced that activities by parliament and political parties would be banned under martial law, and media outlets and publishers would be placed under the control of the martial law command. Yoon explained that the opposition’s actions, such as efforts to impeach top prosecutors and reject the government’s budget proposal, were plunging the country into a crisis.

In response to the announcement, the Korean won sharply depreciated against the US dollar. A central bank official indicated that measures would be prepared to stabilize the market if necessary. However, the White House and the US military command, which has around 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea, did not immediately respond to inquiries.

Yoon framed the declaration as a necessary step to defend the nation from the threat of North Korean communist forces and protect the freedoms and constitutional order of the Republic of Korea. He expressed frustration with opposition actions that he claimed were obstructing the government’s ability to function.

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, head of the Democratic Party, condemned the martial law declaration, describing it as an overreach that would lead to economic collapse. He urged citizens to gather at the National Assembly in protest, warning that tanks, armored personnel carriers, and armed soldiers could soon take control of the country.

Yoon’s decision came after a controversial move by the opposition party to cut over 4 trillion won from the government’s budget proposal, a move that ministers had protested earlier in the week, citing its detrimental impact on government administration.