South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol proclaimed martial law on Tuesday, December 3, in a context of tense parliamentary debate on the budget. In this regard, all political activities were banned and media under government surveillance. The army deployed in the streets of the capital.
But later in the evening, the president himself lifted the martial law, after its rejection by Parliament. Several calls for resignation have been made against Yoon Suk Yeol.
South Korea's main opposition party called for the resignation of President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday, accusing the leader of “insurrection” for imposing martial law in the country before announcing its lifting.
“Even if martial law is lifted, it is impossible to avoid accusations of insurrection” against him, Park Chan-dae, a Democratic Party official, said in a statement. Mr. Yoon “must resign,” he added.
Unlimited general strike
On the side of the ruling party in South Korea, he estimated on Wednesday that President Yoon Suk Yeol, from the same party, should give account for having established martial law during the night before announcing its lifting a few hours later.
“The president must explain this tragic situation immediately and in detail,” People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon said on television, adding that “all those responsible will be held accountable.”
Similarly, South Korea's largest inter-union organization called for a “unlimited general strike” until resignation of President Yoon Suk Yeol, after the lifting of the martial law he had imposed during the night.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, which has some 1.2 million memberscalled Mr. Yoon's attempt an “irrational and undemocratic measure”, saying that he had “signed his own end to power”.
Faced with the Korean President's decision to reverse his martial law decision, the White House said it was “relieved”. “We are relieved that President Yoon reversed his disturbing declaration of martial law and respected the National Assembly's vote to end it,” a National Security Council spokesperson said in a statement. .
Read more
