South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared “emergency martial law” in the country, news agency Yonhap reported citing the presidential administration. The decision effectively disbanded parliament, dissolved the electoral process and called on the army to enforce the president’s ruling.
The president accused the opposition of “controlling the parliament and sympathising with North Korea as well as paralysing the government through anti-state activities.”
In television remarks made today, Tuesday, Yoon stated that he would “eliminate pro-North Korean forces and protect the constitutional democratic system,” according to his claims.
Following this announcement, the opposition Democratic Party called for an emergency meeting with its lawmakers.
It is noteworthy that the South Korean president has faced a decline in popularity in recent months, struggling to advance his agenda against the opposition-controlled parliament since taking office in 2022.
Yoon, who is closely aligned with the United States, has rejected calls for independent investigations into scandals involving his wife and senior officials, which has led to swift and strong criticism from his political rivals.
The conservative “People Power Party,” to which Yoon belongs, has found itself in a deadlock with the liberal opposition “Democratic Party” over the proposed budget law for the coming year.
After the legislative elections in April, in which the president’s party was defeated, the Democratic Party, which emerged as the biggest winner, accused Yoon and his party of “mismanaging the economy and failing to curb inflation during their time in power.”
