South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared martial law in South Korea but he has yet to specify what that means.
Have they been attacked? Is there a disease or crime outbreak? No. The martial law was declared because the opposition-controlled parliament is not doing what the President wants. He accused them of “sympathizing with North Korea and paralyzing the government with anti-state activities.”
“I will eliminate anti-state forces as quickly as possible and normalize the country,” the President said in a televised address. Meanwhile, he asked his people to tolerate “some inconveniences.”
Well I don’t like the sound of that and neither do many South Koreans. The President’s own party has called this move “wrong” and said that he would “stop it with the people.” Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, called Yoon’s announcement “illegal and unconstitutional.”
Within a few hours the South Korean parliament voted 190-0 to lift President Yoon’s martial law declaration. At this hour clashes between citizens and the military are taking place in front of South Korea’s parliament building. Tune into our live show for updates.
