South Korean President Declares Martial Law

[ArizonaTank]

Just when you thought the world couldn't get crazier...

South Korean President Declares Martial Law.

He says (according to the Daily Mail): 'I declare martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces, to eradicate the despicable pro-North Korean anti-state forces that are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people, and to protect the free constitutional order'

But the opposition party think it will be used to purge the government and force through the President's agenda...

This can't be good for anyone in my book...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/south-korea-s-president-declares-martial-law/ar-AA1vcbv7?ocid=msedgntp&pc=NMTS&cvid=4dcf726291bc4be8bacbb63e12ba86e4&ei=6

[Jarhead0331]

Isn't that how Democracy always dies? In order to protect it, you need to destroy it.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Well, that didn't last long.


Koreans do love to depose their presidents via extraordinary methods.  At last this one looks like he'll be removed via impeachment rather than the more extreme methods used in the past.

[Con]

I wonder how China and Russia will play this new hand they were dealt
They probably have very different strategic impacts that are not complimentary

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

China just went after semi-conductors and restricted the export of gallium.  Canada has the ability to make up the shortfall but can't due to current mining regulations.

[ArizonaTank]

Video that purportedly shows South Korean troops forcibly entering the Parliament building.

I understand that Parliament has bucked the President and declared Martial Law to be lifted. So not certain if the military action against the Parliament building took place before or after that.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/troops-enter-south-korean-parliament-through-smashed-windows/vi-AA1vd4Aw?ocid=msedgntp&pc=NMTS&cvid=64a3ea22f114497296f4177fda6bb1b6&ei=363

CBS is reporting that South Korea's military:
"proclaimed that parliament and other political gatherings that could cause "social confusion" would be suspended."

Still early hours and events are moving fast...but does this mean the SK President has the backing of the military?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/south-korea-parliament-votes-to-defy-president-lift-martial-law-order/ar-AA1vciJa?ocid=msedgntp&pc=NMTS&cvid=c52bb811bb0e420eab49e231aefba5ea&ei=10

[Pete Dero]

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cn38321180et
https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/martial-law-south-korea-intl/index.html

South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol says he will lift martial law after parliament voted to block it.

[JasonPratt]

According to Epoch Times reporting (with material from the AP and Reuters), the troops were initially deployed at Parliament to prevent the representatives from meeting to outvote the martial law, but let the Parliament in anyway. The troops clarified that they could not leave the area or otherwise cease martial law without an order from the President, but once Yoon agreed to abide by the Parliament vote the troops immediately left.

So, troubling, but not as bad as it could be. South Korea has imposed martial law several times, though usually in response to military coups. I'm not sure of Yoon's rationale, other than the stated one of being afraid the left-wing Democratic Party would betray the nation to the Norks somehow, with accusations the Dems had been looting the nation somehow. (Yoon is with the conservative People's Power Party, all of whose representatives voted against him in Parliament to lift the martial law.)

For the longer synopsis (updated 14 minutes ago):

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Dec. 3, setting off an immediate reaction from the country's parliament, which voted to lift the declaration hours later.

Here's what we know so far:


South Korea's Constitution allows for the invocation of martial law when considered necessary to respond to a military threat or to maintain public safety.

In announcing the order, Yoon promised to eliminate "anti-state" forces and accused the opposing liberal Democratic Party of sympathizing with communist North Korea.

South Korean law allows a martial law order to be lifted by a majority vote in the parliament.

South Korea's Democratic Party has majority control of the parliament, and all 190 parliament members who participated in the vote supported lifting the martial law order.

Military personnel were initially stationed in the parliament building to attempt to prevent lawmakers from entering and voting to overturn Yoon's declaration.

After the vote, the military said the order will remain in effect until Yoon lifts it, before eventually leaving the building.

Protesters assembled outside during the vote and clashed with military personnel after they exited.

Han Dong-hoon, the leader of Yoon's conservative People Power Party (PPP), called the martial law order "wrong" and promised to "stop it with the people."

Martial law has been declared in South Korea more than a dozen times since the country's establishment as a Republic in 1948.

Two instances occurred in 1961 and 1980 when military officers Park Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan, respectively, staged military coups.

Yoon won the 2022 election by less than 1 percent of the vote, and his approval ratings have stagnated at around 20 percent for months.

Yoon's PPP lost control of parliament in a landslide election earlier this year.

Yoon and his party have been locked in disagreements with their liberal opposition over the nation's 2025 budget bill, and the same opposition has tried to pass motions to impeach three top prosecutors, including those who were investigating Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party.

Lee lost to Yoon in 2022 and is a top contender for the next presidential election, according to opinion polls.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

[al_infierno]

Koreans do love to depose their presidents via extraordinary methods.

wish we'd see more of that on the northern side of the border

edit - sounds like martial law has been lifted