South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol announced today (Tuesday) that his country is moving to live under martial law in a speech that was broadcast live on a local television channel. Yun said he had no choice but to take such a measure to preserve the freedom of his country, and claimed that the opposition parties took the parliamentary process hostage to bring the country into crisis.
“I declare martial law to protect the Free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korea’s communist forces, to defeat the abominable pro-North Korean anti-state forces within us that are robbing our people of freedom and happiness, and to protect the free constitution and order,” Yoon said.
He did not say what specific measures would be taken.
Yun cited a proposal by the “Democratic Party”, an opposition party – the majority in parliament – to remove some of the country’s top prosecutors and the rejection of a government budget proposal. After the president’s statement, the opposition parties announced that they would work to cancel the announcement, but the entrance to the parliament is blocked and the legislators are not allowed to enter, according to a state news agency. According to AP, opposition leader Lee Jia-myung expressed concern about the arrest of members of parliament by the military.
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