South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declares an emergency martial law.
On December 3, in a late-night unannounced televised address, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared that the country would be going under emergency martial law. He accused the Democratic Party of sympathizing with North Korea and of anti-state activities and claimed that the measure was necessary to protect the country’s constitutional order.
Notably, it is the first time in 44 years that martial law has been passed in South Korea and the first time since the country’s democratization in 1987. The last time martial law was imposed was in October 1979.
Under martial law, the civilian government will be replaced by military rule, and all civilian legal processes will be suspended for military ones. As long as this law is in effect, all political gatherings are prohibited, media operations are restricted, and strikes and walkouts will also be prohibited in South Korea from today.
According to South Korean law, martial law can be lifted with a majority vote in the parliament. Soon after the law was passed, the National Assembly speaker called for all lawmakers to gather at the assembly building.
As per the latest update, 190 out of the 300 members participated in the assembly and unanimously voted to lift the martial law.
As per the parliamentary speaker’s office, the martial law declaration is void. However, numerous news agencies report that the military stated that martial law would remain in effect until ended by the president.
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