South Korean President Declares Emergency Martial Law

South Korean President Declares Emergency Martial Law
South Korean President Declares Emergency Martial Law. (Photo: AP)

SEAToday.com, Seoul - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared an “emergency martial law" on Tuesday (12/3), accusing the country’s opposition of controlling the parliament, sympathizing with North Korea, and paralyzing the government through anti-state activities.

The announcement was made during a televised briefing in which President Yoon vowed to  “eradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the constitutional democratic order".

It remains unclear how this decision will affect the country’s governance and democracy, but it has drawn widespread criticism from politicians. The leader of Yoon’s own conservative party called the decision “wrong", while opposition leader Lee Jae-myung described the announcement as “illegal and unconstitutional".

This is the first time since 1987 that South Korea has implemented martial law. The decision also comes amid escalating tensions between North and South Korea.