South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday, December 3, saying the measure was necessary to protect the country from “North Korean communist forces”.
“I declare martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces, to eradicate the despicable pro-North Korean anti-state forces that are destroying the freedom and happiness of our people, and to protect the 'free constitutional order'said Yoon Suk Yeol, in power since his election in March 2022.
He notably cited a motion presented this week by the Democratic Party, the majority opposition party in Parliament, aimed at dismissing some of the country's top prosecutors and its rejection of a government budget proposal. He did not specify in his speech what specific measures would be put in place.
The Democratic Party called on its deputies to go to Parliament, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.
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