South Korea’s president has declared emergency martial law, accusing the opposition of antistate activities.
Entrance to the National Assembly was sealed on Tuesday and parliamentarians were barred from entering the building, according to local news outlet Yonhap.
While making the announcement in a late-night televised address, President Yoon Suk-yeol said he will rebuild a free and democratic country through martial law.
“To safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate antistate elements … I hereby declare emergency martial law,” Yoon said in a live televised address.
“This is an unavoidable measure to ensure the freedom and safety of the people and guarantee the sustainability of the nation against the unrest stirred by these subversive, antistate elements.
“The National Assembly has also completely cut budgets essential for national operations, drug crime prevention and public safety, undermining the core functions of the state. This has left our citizens in a state of chaos with the nation becoming a haven for drugs and public safety collapsing.”
Police struggle with people trying to enter the National Assembly in front of the main gate of the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea on December 3, 2024 [Jung Yeon-Je/AFP]
General Park An-soo, the martial law commander, announced a number of measures under the declaration, including prohibitions on all political activities, “including those of the National Assembly, local councils, political parties, and political associations, as well as assemblies [and] demonstrations”.
The order prohibited labour strikes and slowdowns, as well as “gatherings that incite social disorder”. It further stated that all media will be placed under the control of the Martial Law Command.
“Any acts that deny or attempt to overthrow the liberal democratic system, as well as the dissemination of fake news, manipulation of public opinion, or false propaganda,” the order said.
Healthcare workers, including doctors who are currently on strike, must return to work within 48 hours or risk punishment.
“Violators of this proclamation will be subject to arrest, detention, and search and seizure without a warrant,” the commander noted.
‘Martial law is wrong’
Later on Tuesday, Yonhap reported that members of parliament voted to demand President Yoon lift the martial law.
“Of the 190 present, 190 in favour, I declare that the resolution calling for the lifting of the emergency martial law has been passed,” National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik said. There are 300 seats in the assembly.
Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the ruling conservative People Power Party, criticised the decision by Yoon, a member of the party.
“The declaration of martial law is wrong,” Han said, adding that he would oppose it “alongside the people”.
The liberal opposition Democratic Party has reportedly called for an emergency meeting after Yoon’s announcement.
“The economy of the Republic of Korea will collapse irretrievably,” Lee Jae-myung, leader of Democratic Party, said in a livestream.
The People Power Party had been locked in an impasse with the Democratic Party over next year’s budget.
Policemen stand in front of the gate to the National Assembly [Yonhap via Reuters]
Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agendas against an opposition-controlled parliament.
Yoon has also been dismissing calls for independent investigations into scandals involving his wife and top officials, drawing quick, strong rebukes from his political rivals.
Al Jazeera’s Eunice Kim, reporting from the capital, Seoul, said calling the announcement unexpected was an “understatement”.
“We are in shock with this development. … I think everybody is trying to understand why and what this means for life here in South Korea.
“The president’s approval rating really has struggled since day one. He had some of the lowest approval ratings of past Korean presidents, and currently, as of last week, we saw it at 25 percent, according to the pollster Realmeter.”
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