Emergency Declared in South Korea
NEW DELHI, Dec 3: For the first time in nearly half a century, South Korea on Tuesday has declared emergency martial law accusing the opposition of being “anti-state forces intent on overthrowing the regime” amid parliamentary wrangling over a budget bill.
In a sudden announcement shortly after 10 pm local time, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law from 11 pm the same evening.
“To safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements plundering people’s freedom and happiness, I hereby declare emergency martial law,” Yoon said in a live televised address to the nation.
“With no regard for the livelihoods of the people, the opposition party has paralysed governance solely for the sake of impeachments, special investigations, and shielding their leader from justice,” he added.
The surprise move comes as Yoon’s People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party continue to bicker over next year’s budget bill. Opposition MPs last week approved a significantly downsized budget plan through a parliamentary committee.
The opposition has slashed approximately 4.1 trillion won ($2.8 billion) from Yoon’s proposed 677 trillion budget plan, cutting the government’s reserve fund and activity budgets for Yoon’s office, the prosecution, police and the state audit agency.
“Our National Assembly has become a haven for criminals, a den of legislative dictatorship that seeks to paralyse the judicial and administrative systems and overturn our liberal democratic order,” Yoon said.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, accused opposition lawmakers of cutting “all key budgets essential to the nation’s core functions, such as combatting drug crimes and maintaining public security… turning the country into a drug haven and a state of public safety chaos.”
The president went on to label the opposition, which holds a majority in the 300-member parliament, as “anti-state forces intent on overthrowing the regime.” Yoon described the imposition of martial law as “inevitable to guarantee the continuity of a liberal South Korea,” adding that it would not impact the country’s foreign policy.
“I will restore the country to normalcy by getting rid of anti-state forces as soon as possible,” he said, without elaborating further other than the martial law in place. He described the current situation as South Korea “on the verge of collapse, with the National Assembly acting as a monster intent on bringing down liberal democracy.”
With martial law imposed, all military units in the South, which remains technically at war with the nuclear-armed North, have been ordered to strengthen their emergency alert and readiness postures, media reports said. The entrance to the National Assembly has been sealed, and MPs have been barred from entering the building, it said.
The imposition of emergency martial law comes as Yoon’s approval rating dropped to 19 percent in the latest Gallup poll last week, with many expressing dissatisfaction over his handling of the economy and controversies involving his wife, Kim Keon Hee.
Under the emergency, the government has banned all political activities whatsoever, including activities in Parliament (National Assembly), local councils, political parties, rallies, protests, and any other form of demonstrations. Political associations and affiliations are also banned.
Media across all mediums – print, radio, broadcast, internet and social media are all now under the scrutiny and control of the Martial Law Command.
People in South Korea can no longer go on strike, or organise protests or rallies. Work stoppages and rally speeches are prohibited too. Any action that may lead to social chaos or incite violence are banned.
Any and all acts that deny or attempt to overthrow the liberal democratic system are prohibited. Propaganda, opinions, public manipulation methods, misinformation, disinformation, fake news are prohibited and punishable.
All doctors, medics, nurses, and other medical personnel including trainees – both in service and retired must return to the medical field within 48 hours. They must work faithfully and follow instructions by relevant authority. Those who refuse or violate will be punished in accordance with martial law.
Any anti-State forces and subversive forces will be dealt with in accordance to martial laws. Due to the martial law, ordinary citizens will be subject to measures to minimize inconvenience in their daily lives.
Anyone who violates these orders shall be subject to arrest, detention, and search without any warrant and in accordance with relevant sections of the Martial Law enforced. People who violate the orders shall be subject to punishment under Article 14 of the Martial Law Act (Penalties), the order said.
(Manas Dasgupta)
