President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law, accusing the National Assembly of unprecedented impeachment actions and budget cuts that he claims have paralyzed government functions, destabilized the nation, and threatened the constitutional order of South Korea. /News1

On Dec. 3rd, President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law in an urgent statement, expressing that South Korea was facing a crisis so severe that its survival was as precarious as a candle flickering in the wind.

President Yoon explained that the National Assembly had introduced 22 impeachment motions against government officials since his administration began, with efforts to impeach ten more officials since the 22nd National Assembly was formed in June. He emphasized that such actions were unprecedented globally and in the history of the nation.

Also Yoon criticized attempts to intimidate judges and impeach numerous prosecutors, which have paralyzed judicial functions. Additionally, he pointed to efforts to impeach key figures such as the Minister of Interior and Safety, the Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, the Auditor General, and the Minister of National Defense, claiming these actions have immobilized the executive branch.

He accused the legislature of completely cutting essential budget allocations for the core functions of the state, drug crime enforcement, and public safety maintenance, thus destabilizing the nation and leading to a public crisis.

Lastly, he condemned these budgetary actions as an outright mockery of the nation’s finances and accused the Democratic Party of legislative tyranny, saying they have not hesitated to use the budget as a tool for political struggle, leading to government paralysis and widespread public dismay. He concluded that these actions trample on the constitutional order of free South Korea and disturb legitimate government institutions, describing them as clear anti-state activities inciting insurrection.

Additionally, the Ministry of National Defense issued a press release on the afternoon of Dec. 3, stating that the Minister of National Defense had convened a meeting with key military commanders to bolster the military’s emergency readiness and preparedness.