South Korean President Declares Martial Law, Accuses Opposition of Supporting North Korea

South Korean President Declares Martial Law: SEOUL, South Korea (AP),  South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol called on the nation to declare that the opposition at the parliament has created an emergency martial law on Tuesday for sympathizing with North Korea and paralyzing government through anti-state actions.

The President announces that he will eradicate and protect the "constitutional democratic order" through a televised briefing.

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The impact of Yoon's action on the country's governance and democracy was immediately unclear. Immediately, the action met with opposition from politicians including the head of his own conservative party, Han Dong-hoon, who called the decision "wrong" and promised "to stop it with the people." The opposition leader, Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, called Yoon's announcement "illegal and unconstitutional."

“Through this martial law, I will rebuild and protect the free Republic of Korea, which is falling into the depths of national ruin,” Yoon said during a televised speech, invoking South Korea’s formal name.

“I will eliminate anti-state forces as quickly as possible and normalize the country,” he said, while asking the people to believe in him and tolerate “some inconveniences.”

Yoon's approval ratings have been plummeting over the last few months and he now finds it very hard in pushing his measures against an opposition hold parliament since he assumed office in 2022.

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The budget bill prescriptions for next year are in a deadlock between the conservative People Power Party and the liberal opposition Democratic Party. The opposition party also tried to process impeach motions against three top prosecutors, including the chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in what the conservatives described as vendetta against prosecution against Lee's questionable character and has become a favorite for the next presidential elections in 2027 as per opinion polls.

Yoon has also been dismissive of clamors for independent investigations into scandals concerning his wife and high government officials, earning him quick and biting condemnations from his political rivals; the Democratic Party reportedly called an emergency meeting of its lawmakers following Yoon's announcement.

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