All political activities were banned in South Korea on Tuesday, December 3, after the surprise decision of the head of state, Yoon Suk-yeol, to proclaim martial law in the country. Parliament has been placed under seal and helicopters are on the roof of the building, according to South Korean television. According to Yonhap News Agency, all political activities are now banned, and the Defense Ministry ordered a meeting of commanders-in-chief following the decision. Follow our live stream.
A decision which targets the opposition and the “North Korean communist forces”. Yoon Suk-yeol addressed his fellow citizens in a surprise televised address Tuesday evening. “To protect liberal South Korea from threats posed by North Korean communist forces and eliminate elements hostile to the state, (…) I declare emergency martial law”declared the president live, who accused the opposition of wanting “overthrow the regime”.
The Democratic Party calls on its deputies to go to Parliament. The main opposition party asked its elected officials, the majority in the National Assembly, to go there urgently, reports Yonhap. Opposition leader deems martial law “illegal”with measures that go “against the people”.
A context of strong tensions around the budget. This surprise intervention comes while the president's party, Power to the People, was battling with the Democratic Party in Parliament over the draft budget for 2025. Opposition deputies approved last week, through a committee, a budget program considerably reduced.
