Korean President Yoon declares emergency martial law

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law against "antistate forces" Tuesday night in an unannounced press conference.

This marks the first time in 44 years that martial law has been declared in South Korea.  

“I declare martial law to protect the Republic of Korea from the threats of North Korean communist forces, to immediately eradicate the unscrupulous pro-Pyongyang antistate forces that pillage the freedom and happiness of our people and to protect free constitutional order,” Yoon said in an emergency press conference at the Yongsan presidential office in Seoul.

“Through emergency martial law, we will rebuild and protect the free Republic of Korea, which is falling into ruin.”

In the televised address, Yoon vowed to “eradicate such antistate forces and the culprits of the country’s ruin who have committed evil acts up until now.”

He said the move will “guarantee the people’s freedom, safety and national sustainability against the actions of antistate forces seeking to overthrow the system,” calling it an “inevitable” measure.

Yoon added, “The declaration of martial law will cause some inconveniences for good citizens who believed in and followed the constitutional values of free people, but we will focus on minimizing such inconveniences.”  

Possibly mindful of the optics of the declaration abroad, Yoon stressed, “There is no change in South Korea’s foreign policy stance of fulfilling its responsibilities and contributions in the international community.”

He appealed to the public that he will dedicate his life to “protecting the free Republic of Korea,” asking to “please trust in me."

The Ministry of National Defense announced after Yoon’s declaration of martial law that a meeting of key commanders of all South Korean military forces was held and instructions were issued for the military to strengthen emergency preparedness.

Conservative People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon immediately said Tuesday that the president's martial law declaration is "wrong,” pledging to “stop it along with the people.”

The liberal Democratic Party (DP) ordered lawmakers to urgently gather at the National Assembly in western Seoul late Tuesday.

DP leader Lee Jae-myung called on lawmakers to "safeguard the collapsing democracy” and gather at the parliament building.

Entry to the National Assembly complex was immediately blocked.

Article 77 of the South Korean Constitution stipulates that the president may declare martial law in response to war, armed conflicts or other national emergencies. Martial law is divided into extraordinary martial law or precautionary martial law.

After the president proclaims martial law, the National Assembly is to be notified without delay.

Martial law has been declared a total of 16 times, and emergency martial law proclaimed 12 times. The last martial law was imposed on the eve of the May 18, 1980, democratization movement in Gwangju during the Chun Doo Hwan regime.

The move comes after the DP, which holds a parliamentary majority, railroaded a downsized budget bill in the National Assembly’s special budget committee last week. It also submitted impeachment motions against the chief of the state audit agency and chief prosecutor.

During Tuesday’s press conference, Yoon criticized the DP for the moves, accusing the party of holding a “legislative dictatorship,” also referring to 22 impeachment attempts against administration officials by the DP since he took office in May 2022.

Updated, Dec. 3: Added excerpts from Yoon's speech, responses from PPP and DP.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]