South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law after accusing the opposition party of “sympathizing with North Korea and of anti-state activities.”
“They are paralyzing the judiciary by intimidating judges and impeaching a large number of prosecutors, and even paralyzing the executive branch by impeaching the minister of public administration and security, the chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, the chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection, and the minister of national defense,” Yoon said.
“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 said.
“I will eliminate anti-state forces as quickly as possible and normalize the country,” Yoon added.
Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung said the martial law declaration was “illegal and unconstitutional.”
Shortly after Yoon declared martial law, parliament voted 190-0 to lift the declaration. The Associated Press reported that under South Korean law, martial law can be lifted with a “majority vote in the parliament, where the opposition Democratic Party holds a majority.”
