South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared a martial law emergency, saying the measure was necessary to protect the country from “communist forces” in North Korea and “anti-state” actors at home.
“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 power. order,” Yoon said in a televised speech today.
He then accused his country’s opposition of controlling parliament and paralyzing the government through anti-state activities, without specifying what those were.
It was not immediately clear what impact these steps would have on the country’s governance and democracy, but Yoon vowed to “rebuild a democratic country” under martial law.
This measure comes as a complete shock to the Western-allied Asian country with more than 50 million inhabitants, which, despite escalating tensions with its enemy in the North, is not waging an active war, has not been invaded by Kim Jong-un’s forces and has no suffered attacks. on his land.
Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda against an opposition-controlled parliament, raising suspicions that the sudden introduction of martial law could be a political ploy to exert more power.
The move comes one day after the opposition Democratic Party – which has a majority in parliament – filed a motion to oust some of South Korea’s top prosecutors and also rejected a government budget proposal.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared a martial law emergency, saying the measure was necessary to protect the country from “communist forces” in North Korea and “anti-state” actors at home.