Declare martial law the South Korean president, Yoon Suk-year, has induced a political phenomenon because has been latched onto because of the increasing tension with the opposition. He accused the Democratic Party (DP) as doing obstructing and paralyzing the work of government, thus, leading to national gridlock. He said that this martial law was needed to rid the government of pro-North Korean people and to ensure national security in times of internal threats. The president’s controversial action comes when the people’s minds are being preoccupied with increasing political instability and security threats. Yoon now considers this an action to ensure the democratic and sovereign future of South Korea.
The declaration generated intense backlash from the opposition, which immediately summoned lawmakers to discuss the implications of the declaration in parliament. The DP condemned the martial law as an autocratic act with the claim that Yoon was using it to consolidate power and stifle political dissent. This came after months of ramping up political tension, with the opposition decrying Yoon’s authoritarian tendencies. The DP has also cautioned that such gestures are leaning towards his supposed focus on cleansing people considered to sympathize with the North as against the very tenets of freedom and democracy in the country. Such declarations rekindle fears of martial law in a nation that has found itself face-to-face with the emotion of suppression of the democratic movement through martial law.
Critics assert that martial law has the potential to profoundly affect the politics of South Korea, further polarizing the populace and possibly igniting mass protests. This is especially so considering the historical precedents such as the Gwangju Uprising of 1980 when martial law was used to squelch pro-democracy protests. The national psyche has strong memories of these events.
Since President Yoon’s approval ratings are already dipping because of the unpopular actions that have been taken through his administration, by this action he is likely to deepen the political fissure all the more and unleash being nationwide rage. The international community has its eyes on South Korea in these developments because just like navigating this complicated and sensitive environment, all behold South Korea as it commits itself to democratic governance versus the rising authoritarian impulses of its own government at this juncture.
According to The Korean Herald, Democratic Party lawmakers, including the party’s chair Rep. Lee Jae-myung, have repeatedly raised suspicions that Yoon is preparing to establish martial law in South Korea, claiming to have “sources.”
The main opposition party claims that Yoon nominated his close ally Kim Yong-Hyun — retired three-star general and the head of the presidential secretary service — as the new defense minister to eliminate possible protest within his Cabinet in the event martial law is imposed.
Military personnel enforcing martial law in South Korea are entering the country’s parliament building in the capital through windows.
After an unsuccessful attempt to enter through the main entrance due to resistance from civilians gathered there, the military was able to enter through the windows.
According to FT, Yoon, a hardline former chief prosecutor, said in a late-night television address on Tuesday that he would “eliminate anti-state forces as quickly as possible and normalise the country”.
The martial law declaration also bans “all political activities, including those of the National Assembly, local councils, political parties”, and demonstrations.
It adds that “all media and publications will be subject to the control of the Martial Law Command”.
