Seoul: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday declared an 'emergency martial law', accusing the country’s main opposition party of sympathizing with North Korea.
President Addresses the Nation
In a televised speech, he said: "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."
Parliament Speaker
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The parliament speaker is traveling to parliament and plans to convene a urgent session, according to local media reports.
The President accused the opposition of turning the the country into a 'drug haven' and creating a state of disorder detrimental to public safety and livelihood.
He also accused the Democratic Party of attempting to overthrow the liberal democratic system.
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According to CNN, he assured the public, "We will eliminate the anti-state forces and restore the country to normalcy as quickly as possible.”
While acknowledging that martial law might cause some inconvenience, he promised efforts to minimize its impact on the public.
It is pertinent to mention that this is the first time a South Korean president has declared martial law since the end of the military dictatorship in the 1980s. (With Agency Inputs)
