South Korea has announced martial law authorization nationwide, following the accusation made by President Yoon Suk Yeol of the opposition party as an attempt to destabilize the regime. In a Tuesday live broadcast, Yoon announced the move, referring to threats to the country’s liberal democracy posed by “anti-state forces” in the opposition.
Yoon’s statement was made during a fierce parliamentary debate for the 2025 budget bill. Recently the ruling Democratic Party in the unicameral National Assembly has trimmed 4,1 trillion won from Yoon’s draft 6,77 trillion won budget. Core government duties such as public security and anti-drugs activities were also among the cuts.
South Korea activated an emergency against what Yoon termed legislative action against national stability. Assembly Sealed Off In line with the emergency response, the National Assembly was suspended, and access was restricted both to parliamentarians and the public. National military forces were put on high alert, preparing themselves for possible attacks from North Korea. Yoon asserted:
“Our National Assembly has become a haven for criminals, a den of legislative dictatorship that seeks to paralyse the judicial and administrative systems and overturn our liberal democratic order,”
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He accused lawmakers of cutting “all key budgets essential to the nation’s core functions, such as combatting drug crimes and maintaining public security… turning the country into a drug haven and a state of public safety chaos.”
Yonhap News Agency reported enhanced security as martial law is intended to protect the government from domestic political turmoil. Yoon charged opposition legislators with turning the Assembly into a “den of legislative dictatorship” that threatens the country’s judicial and administrative infrastructures. Yoon asserted,
I will restore the country to normalcy by getting rid of anti-state forces as soon as possible,”
He described their behavior as an attempt in a direct, clear sense to disband the South Korean democratic system. South Korea implements a state of emergency to prevent national instability and ensure continuity of government, he stated. Public Reaction and Implications The martial law declaration comes as Yoon’s approval rating hits a record low of 19%, reflecting widespread discontent over economic mismanagement and controversies involving First Lady Kim Keon Hee.
Citing criticism, Yoon reassured the people that the measure would not change the foreign policy promises of South Korea. To achieve the objective of restoring order, however, is the key to maintaining freedom and democracy,” Yoon declared, vowing to shut down “anti-state radicals” quickly. What his administration does next is unclear, but the move is seen to highlight the growing political tension in South Korea.
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