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South Korean president declares martial law.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in a late night televised address Tuesday, accusing the country’s opposition of controlling the parliament and deliberately undermining the government with “anti-state” activities.
“To safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements…I hereby declare emergency martial law,” Yoon said.
He did not elaborate on what measures would be taken, and it remains unclear how the announcement would affect governance, The Associated Press reported.
Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through the opposition-controlled parliament, and in his address, cited the Democratic Party’s rejection of a government budget plan and its motion to impeach the country’s top prosecutors, Reuters reported.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in an unannounced late-night TV address Tuesday, accusing the country’s main opposition party of sympathizing with North Korea and of anti-state activities.
Yoon did not say what measures would be taken. He cited a motion by the opposition Democratic Party, which has a majority in parliament, to impeach top prosecutors and reject a government budget proposal.
“To safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements… I hereby declare emergency martial law,” Yoon said in the TV address.
The parliament speaker is currently en route to parliament and plans to convene a session, according to YTN TV. Yonhap news agency reported though that the entrance to parliament is blocked and lawmakers are unable to enter.
(Washington post)