South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday in an emergency national address televised live as he accused the opposition of trying to paralyze the administration amid a deepening political rift.
Yoon said the decision was made to protect freedom and constitutional order, and that it will not have an impact on South Korea’s foreign policy. He added that it would also help remove North Korea supporters.
“Through the declaration of martial law, I will rebuild and protect a free South Korea,” Yoon said. A proclamation released after the address banned all political activities and strikes and said media would be subject to control of the Martial Law Command, according to Yonhap News.
The shock move comes after months of wrangling and deadlock in parliament between Yoon’s minority government and the main opposition Democratic Party. The DP is currently trying to force through its own budget proposal through parliament and has submitted an impeachment motion against the chief prosecutor. The DP’s leader has faced multiple court cases and was convicted last month of election law violations.
Yoon has dealt with the deadlock in a largely standoffish manner, vetoing a string of bills passed by parliament and at times angering his own party.
“The president’s declaration of martial law is wrong,” Han Dong-hoon, head of Yoon’s People Power Party, said in a Facebook post. “I will stop this with people.”
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South Korea’s defense minister ordered a meeting with the military’s top commanders, according to Yonhap.
The main opposition Democratic Party ordered its members to gather at parliament to discuss steps to lift the martial law, Yonhap said.
Under the country’s constitution, the president has to comply if the parliament requests the lifting of martial law with the concurrent vote of a majority of the total members.
The won tumbled after the announcement to hit 1427.10 against the dollar, its weakest level in over two years.
