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South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law in emergency address
South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday declared martial law in an emergency national address which was broadcasted live, Reuters reported.
South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday declared martial law in an emergency national address which was broadcasted live, Reuters reported.
In his unannounced late night address on YTN television, Yeol claimed that he would eradicate "shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces".
Though he did not mention any specific threat from the nuclear-powered North Korea, Yeol focused on his opponents within the Southern political circuit.
The move shocked the entire country, which has had a series of authoritarian leaders in its early history. Since 1980s, South Korea has reportedly seen democratic leaders.
Notably, with this decision, the Korean currency -- won -- took a sharp dive against the US dollar.
The South Korean president said that he had no choice but to resort to such a measure in order to protect the free and constitutional order, adding that opposition parties have taken the parliamentary process hostage with an intention to push the country into a crisis.
"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.
However, the president did not specify the measures that will be taken in this situation. Meanwhile the Yonhap news agency reported that the parliament's entrance was blocked.
Yonhap also reported that South Korea's defence minister was the one who proposed martial laws to Yoon.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the opposition Democratic Party -- which enjoys a majority in the Parliament -- said, "Tanks, armored personnel carriers, and soldiers with guns and knives will rule the country."
"The economy of the Republic of Korea will collapse irretrievably. My fellow citizens, please come to the National Assembly," Lee said in an online livestream.
Yoon, in his address, also cited an impeachment motion moved by the Democratic Party this week. Their move was to impeach some of South Korea's top prosecutors and its rejection of a government budget proposal.
On Monday, South Korean ministers had protested the opposition's move to slash over 4 trillion won from the government's budget proposal. Yoon said that such action undermines the government's essential functioning.
