This Tuesday, December 3, 2024, Yoon Suk Yeol, President of South Korea, declared martial law in the country, castigating the attitude of the opposition, which rejected a government budget proposal. A decision deemed illegal by the leader of the opposition who called on the population to demonstrate. Parliament is currently voting on a motion supported by the opposition to try to lift this law. Here's what we know, for now.
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A surprise announcement
The evening was already well underway when Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korean President, made a surprise televised speech, in the context of a heated parliamentary debate on the budget. “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 »he declared. “Without concern for the livelihood of the people, the opposition party has paralyzed the government, for the purposes of impeachments, special investigations and to protect its leader from legal prosecution”he continued.
According to Reuters the South Korean president justified the decision by citing a motion presented this week by the Democratic Party, the majority opposition party in Parliament, to dismiss some of the country's top prosecutors and its rejection of a government budget proposal . “I will restore normalcy in the country by getting rid of these forces hostile to the state as soon as possible”added the South Korean president.
All political activities have been banned and media are placed under government surveillance, Army Chief Park An-su said in a statement cited by theAFP. Helicopters landed on the roof of the parliament building in Seoul, according to live footage broadcast by television channels.
Around 1 a.m. local time, 190 of the 300 members of Parliament voted to adopt a motion calling for the law to be lifted, according to Korean television.
Hundreds of demonstrators
“President Yoon Suk Yeol’s illegal imposition of martial law is invalid”said Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 election. “Come to the National Assembly now. I’m going there too”he added, urging citizens to join him in opposing martial law.
Hundreds of people responded to the opposition's call and flocked Wednesday morning, according to images broadcast live on television.
According to Reuterspolice buses block the main entrance to Parliament. The news agency opened a live video feed to follow the situation in front of Parliament:
L’AFP published photos of demonstrators late this afternoon:
Rain of international reactions
The United States declared “monitor the situation closely”. The American government “is in contact with the Government of the Republic of Korea and is monitoring the situation closely”a White House National Security Council spokesperson said in a statement.
Seoul is a key US ally in Asia, particularly amid heightened rivalries with China. South Korea relies heavily on its American ally to ensure its security in the face of threats posed by North Korea, including more than 28,000 American troops based in the country.
“We are closely monitoring developments in South Korea”said a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, while the Foreign Office called on British nationals to “follow the advice of local authorities and avoid political demonstrations”.
The Chinese Embassy “advises Chinese nationals in South Korea to remain calm…increase security vigilance, limit unnecessary outings, and exercise caution when expressing political views”she recommended in a press release.
