South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, citing the need to eradicate “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces”.
Cyber Reporters gathered that this move marks the first time martial law has been declared in South Korea since 1980.
Yoon’s declaration was made via YTN television, where he claimed that the opposition parties have hijacked the parliamentary process, pushing the country into crisis.
According to Yoon, the opposition parties’ actions have left him with no choice but to impose martial law to safeguard the country’s free and constitutional order.
He stated that the current situation poses a significant threat to the nation’s stability and security and Yoon’s declaration of martial law has sparked widespread concern and debate about the motivations behind his actions.
Notably, Yoon’s declaration did not cite any specific threat from North Korea, instead, he focused on his domestic political opponents, sparking concerns about the potential for martial law to be used as a means of suppressing political dissent.
The move has been met with skepticism by many, who question the necessity of declaring martial law in the absence of a clear and present threat to national security.
In his address, 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”.
