SEOUL - South Korea’s president has declared emergency martial law in the country, accusing opposition forces of anti-state activities.
Yoon Suk Yeol said in an unannounced TV address late Tuesday night that he would rebuild a free and democratic country.
“To safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements … I hereby declare emergency martial law,” he said.
It was the first time martial law had been declared in South Korea since 1979, after the assassination of the dictator Park Chung-hee. Military dictatorship did not end in the country until the late 1980s.
All political activities have been banned and all media will be subject to government monitoring, the martial law commander, General Park An-su, said in a statement as television reports showed video of soldiers entering the National Assembly compound.
“All political activities, including those of the National Assembly, local councils, political parties and political associations, as well as assemblies and demonstrations, are strictly prohibited,” he said.
“All media and publications shall be subject to the control of the Martial Law Command.”
Those who violate martial law can be arrested without warrants, he added.
The president’s announcement said every effort would be made to minimise inconvenience in people’s lives, as only “anti-regime forces” were being targeted.
The stock exchange in Seoul was reportedly discussing whether it would open on Wednesday, after saying earlier that it would be business as usual. The central bank said it was “preparing ample measures to stabilise the market if needed”.
The South Korean won tumbled after the announcement to 1,430 against the US dollar, its weakest level in over two years. (Story continues below)
Crowds push against police as they close the gate of the National Assembly compound after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday night. (Photo: Reuters)
Paralysis in parliament
The president said the decision was made to protect freedom and constitutional order, as he accused the opposition of trying to paralyse the administration with impeachment moves.
Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda against an opposition-controlled parliament.
The president said he had no choice but to resort to drastic measures as opposition parties have taken the parliamentary process hostage to throw the country into a crisis.
Yoon cited a motion this week by the opposition Democratic Party, which has a majority in the 300-member National Assembly, to impeach some top prosecutors and its rejection of a government budget proposal.
“With no regard for the livelihoods of the people, the opposition party has paralysed governance solely for the sake of impeachments, special investigations and shielding their leader from justice,” he said.
Yoon’s People Power Party and the Democratic Party have been bickering for weeks over next year’s budget bill. Opposition MPs last week approved a significantly downsized budget plan through a parliamentary committee.
“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,” Yoon said.
He accused opposition 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.
“I will restore the country to normalcy by getting rid of anti-state forces as soon as possible.”
Democratic Party leader Lee Jay-myung said the president’s declaration was unconstitutional. He said lawmakers would try to meet and nullify the order but he feared the military might try to arrest members of parliament.
“Tanks, armoured personnel carriers and soldiers with guns and knives will rule the country,” Lee said in a livestream online. “The economy of the Republic of Korea will collapse irretrievably. My fellow citizens, please come to the National Assembly.”
But when opposition members arrived at parliament shortly afterward to hold an emergency session, they found police buses blocking the main entrance, Yonhap reported.
Low approval ratings
Yoon has been South Korea’s president since 2022. He won the presidential election by narrowly defeating his opponent, Lee Jae-myung, by just 0.7 percentage points. It was the closest vote since South Korea started holding direct elections in 1987.
The president has faced low approval ratings due to various controversies and scandals, including those involving his wife, such as alleged stock manipulation and allegedly accepting a luxury Dior handbag.
Last month, Yoon apologised, saying his wife should have conducted herself better.