OAN Staff James Myers
8:43am – Tuesday, December 3, 2024
South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol declared martial law in an unannounced late-night speech broadcast live on Tuesday. YTN On TV, he said he would eliminate “shameless pro-North Korea and anti-national forces.”
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The president did not mention the specific threat from North Korea, instead focusing on his political opponents.
“I am declaring a state of emergency in order to protect the constitutional order based on freedom and eradicate the shameful pro-North Korea and anti-national groups that are robbing the people of their freedom and happiness,'' Yun said. YTN news channel. He added that this would protect the country “from the threat of North Korea's communist forces.”
“The imposition of martial law could cause great inconvenience to the law-abiding people of the Republic of Korea, who uphold the constitutional values, but I will work to minimize such disruption,” he added.
His speech was immediately followed by a declaration from martial law commander General Park An-su.
“All political activities” will be prohibited and “all media and publications will be under the control of the martial law command,” it said.
It added: “Strikes, work stoppages and gatherings that incite social disorder are prohibited.” It also ordered “all medical professionals” to return to work within 48 hours.
“Anyone who violates this declaration is subject to arrest, detention, search and seizure without a warrant pursuant to Article 9 of the Martial Law Law.”
Yun claimed that the opposition parties had taken the parliamentary procedures hostage and plunged the country into crisis, and said that he had no choice but to resort to such measures in order to protect the constitutional order.
However, he did not mention in his speech what specific measures he would take. United The news agency reported that the entrance to the National Diet Building was blocked.
“Tanks, armored personnel carriers, soldiers with guns and knives will rule the country,” Lee Jae-myung, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, which controls the majority in parliament, said in an online livestream. “The economy of the Republic of Korea will collapse irreparably. Citizens, please come to the National Assembly.”
Yun also mentioned the Democratic Party, led by Lee, this week's motion to impeach some senior prosecutors and its rejection of the government's budget bill.
Following this announcement, the Korean won also depreciated sharply against the US dollar.
South Korean ministers on Monday protested the Democratic Party's move last week to cut more than 4 trillion won ($2.8 billion) from the government's proposed budget. Yun also said that this act undermines the functioning of government administration.
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