SEOUL – In a dramatic turn of events late Tuesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, but it was swiftly blocked by National Assembly in unanimous vote.
The parliamentary speaker, deemed the Martial Law decree invalid and ordered the police and military forces stationed at the Assembly grounds to withdraw.
He sais those chosen by masses will protect democracy, directing soldiers and police to retreat from the premises, ending their blockade of the Assembly. Choppers were seen circling the area as tensions continued to rise midnight.
Outside the Assembly, huge crowds of protesters gathered, waving banners and calling for Yoon’s impeachment. Opposition parties denounced the declaration, calling it unconstitutional as the country remained democratic for the last 4 decades.
The move also faced criticism from within Yoon’s own conservative People Power Party. Party leader Han Dong-hoon labeled the martial law decision “wrong” and promised to oppose it alongside the people.
According to a foreign media, in a televised address to the nation, President Yoon stated that such measures were the only option to protect the country’s freedom and constitutional order.
He claimed that opposition parties had hijacked the parliamentary process to push the country into a crisis.
The South Korean president said he imposed martial law to protect the Republic of Korea’s freedom from North Korea’s communist forces, aiming to end the cowardly forces supporting North Korea that were undermining the people’s freedom and happiness.
In defense of declaring martial law, he emphasised that the goal was also to protect free constitutional orders.
The report noted that he did not announce any specific actions under the martial law.
President Yoon referred to a resolution by the opposition Democratic Party, which holds the majority in the country’s parliament, that was set to impeach several top prosecutors this week. The opposition party had also rejected the government’s budget proposals.
